7 hours ago
28
Young Liverpool center-back Wellity Lucky is a regular for the Reds' U21 team, and he has been selected to make the senior matchday squad for Arne Slot's side against Inter Milan in the Champions League.
With Liverpool lacking options at the heart of its defense, and in general, thanks to a few injuries, Lucky is set to be named among the substitutes at the San Siro. The 2006 Spanish-born defender made his U18 debut as an U16 player in the 2021/22 season.
He arrived at the Academy as an U13 player, signed his first professional contract with the club in April 2023, and made his debut for the seniors by appearing as a substitute at Anfield in the League Cup tie with Crystal Palace in October.
Several young Liverpool players were involved in that cup tie, which Liverpool lost heavily to Oliver Glasner's side.
"It speaks volumes about the lads, because they are capable of transitioning from the first team then with us," U21s boss Rob Page said afterwards.
"So it’s great. It’s exciting for them, isn’t it, to be a part of the first team?
"There are only positives to come out of it. And then when they drop back down to us, they must have been itching.
"I was looking forward to the game today (a 4-2 win over Middlesbrough a few days later).
"Off the back of last week’s performance, I said to them, I know that we’re just starting to click and I know that there’s more to come from us; there’s more goals in the team.
"You look at the front four today. Kaide Gordon was brought inside as a 10, and Kieran Morrison out wide on the right. And any time Kieran can come inside and Kaide goes out wide, the threat they pose, the front four, is phenomenal.
"And Figgy (Keyrol Figueroa), again, with another couple of goals to his five in two games, his form and his attitude is first class."
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Lucky turns 20 in January, so if he does make an appearance, he won't be among the very youngest players to have played in European competition for Liverpool.
At the age of 17 years and 19 days, forward Rio Ngumoha made history earlier this season when he appeared as a second-half substitute in the Reds' dramatic 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
Trey Nyoni, who will also be on the bench for Liverpool in Milan after he was left out of the UEFA Youth League game earlier in the day, is the second-youngest on the list, with Phil Charnock, Raheem Sterling and Michael Owen (who were all 17) making up the top five.
English (US) ·