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Another one bites the dust.
Ben Doak, the eighth player from Liverpool's first-team squad to depart this summer, sealed a £25 million ($33.8 million) switch to Premier League rival Bournemouth on Monday. For a young lad who has only made 10 senior appearances in three seasons at Anfield - and none since December 2023 - it could be seen as another shrewd piece of transfer business by the Reds, orchestrated by sporting director Richard Hughes.
However, as with nearly every exit of a young player, Doak's sale has stirred mixed feelings among many Liverpool fans. There's often a deep bond formed with those who ascend from the Academy to the first team, whether they've risen through the ranks from a young age or, as was the case with Doak, were brought in from elsewhere for a nominal fee later in their development.
Everyone understands these players are far from the finished product. Deciding when to retain such talent and allow it time to blossom or accept an offer that is simply too good to turn down is a call Liverpool has more often than not successfully made in recent years.
And the Reds have reaped substantial profit from offloading younger players who either haven't quite managed to secure a regular spot in the first-team squad or would benefit from furthering their development elsewhere with regular game time.
With Liverpool reigning as Premier League champion and considered one of the world's top teams, it's no disgrace not to consistently break into its star-studded squad, especially at such an early stage in a career.
Doak has become the 19th player in the past five years, aged 23 or under, who, after being part of Liverpool's first-team squad, was then sold for a fee.
The total expenditure for these players was roughly £15 million ($20.3 million). The revenue generated? Nearly £200 million ($270.2 million). A quick calculation reveals a staggering profit of £185 million ($250 million).
Naturally, some players - like Tyler Morton, Jarell Quansah, and Neco Williams - were genuine Academy graduates, having spent years at Kirkby. Others, such as Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark, were acquired for a fee and continued their development at either U18 or U21 level. Then there was Fabio Carvalho, a teenager already primed for immediate first-team action when signed from Fulham.
Nine of the departures have occurred since Hughes and head coach Arne Slot took up their roles, with three - Doak, Morton, and Quansah - happening in this transfer window. It's also worth noting that five - Tom Hill, Billy Koumetio, Max Woltman, Layton Stewart, and Leighton Clarkson - were for undisclosed fees that haven't been included in the overall income total.
That group of five managed a total of nine appearances for Liverpool, among 13 who didn't hit double figures. In fact, the combined total of Liverpool outings from all 19 players is a mere 183. Quansah's 58 appearances account for nearly a third of that number, with Neco Williams following closely with 33.
Liverpool recognizes that Quansah is still very much an emerging talent. As part of his transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds have included a buy-back clause, with it understood that terms have already been pre-agreed should he return to Merseyside.
The arrangement with Doak also includes a buy-back clause, once again providing Liverpool with the opportunity to capitalise on any significant development in the player while he's away from Anfield.
However, Liverpool's summer dealings may not end there. With ongoing speculation surrounding the future of Harvey Elliott, who is still only 22, another young player could be leaving Liverpool for a substantial sum, while Lewis Koumas and Kaide Gordon are also rumoured to be on their way out.
And the evidence suggests that even when such younger players no longer fit into Liverpool's long-term first-team plans, they can still prove to be immensely beneficial in other ways. It's a transfer trick Liverpool has perfected to remain one of the most competitive teams in the Premier League.
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