Inside Liverpool's increasing global investment in youth

Liverpool may have made three signings worth more than £100m each over the past two summers in Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, but internally there is a realisation that after a significant amount of young talent was sold last summer, the club need to replenish that talent pool.

Since 2020, Liverpool have made more than £230m from selling players who have represented them at youth level and that has been a major part of owner Fenway Sports Group's self-sustaining business model, with the funds reinvested into the club.

Since Brexit, there is a 'premium' on young English players and it is why Liverpool's global talent department, led by Matt Newberry since the winter of 2024, now have a major role to play.

Fifa rules state that international transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over 18 and, since Brexit, Premier League clubs are no longer permitted to sign players under 18 from European countries.

Newberry's team is responsible for deciding which young talents from overseas should be targeted for a move. Using their wealth of contacts across the world, including dedicated regional scouts, Liverpool are becoming increasingly aggressive in the space.

It helps that new sporting director Julian Ward is well known for his global network.

"Any player we sign, the first intention is that we want them to play in the first team and there's a belief that there's a chance for everyone that signs here," Alex Inglethorpe, Liverpool Academy director told BBC Sport.

"That really is no different since the impact of Brexit on the English market, which is quite significant. There's now a premium on young English players. Time will tell if that premium is worthwhile but it's definitely a change.

"So it's fairly natural for a club like Liverpool to look within Merseyside in the first instance then broaden that out - national recruitment happens at 14 and after that you look globally, which is what we've done."

Mor Talla Ndiaye's journey began in the Senegalese village of Sandiara where he played football in the streets.

He progressed through the ranks playing for Bousports Academy in the town of Thiadiaye before joining Amitie Football Club in the city of Thies.

Come January this year, Liverpool fended off interest from other European clubs and signed the 18-year-old for about £1m plus add-ons.

"You have access to certain talent based on points accrued from playing homegrown players. We had a couple of ESC (elite significant contribution) spots to explore the wider market and that's something which, even prior to Brexit, was a fairly normal thing," Inglethorpe adds.

Ndiaye is a left-footed centre-half who played for Liverpool in pre-season under Andoni Iraola and was an unused substitute in three games in the second half of last season under Arne Slot.

"He's an incredible story, isn't he? From where he's come from to where he is - and he's such a humble kid. He's an unbelievable lad to work with," Rob Page, Liverpool's U21 boss, told BBC Sport.

"There's exciting times ahead but he's got a lot of work to do. He's nowhere near the finished article but he's on the right path. His attitude is spot on and he's at the club that will definitely help him develop."

At Liverpool, there is an optimism regarding Ndiaye and a genuine belief that if he makes it to the top, it could be one of the great football stories.

Liverpool opened discussions with his academy and his agency, Sport Cover, after scouts spotted his performances at the U17 World Cup in Qatar last winter and several video calls were arranged before the club's representatives travelled to Senegal.

Once there, they visited where Ndiaye trained, as well as meeting the people that supported his development before presenting their vision to him directly.

A round-table meeting was organised with his family to help understand his environment, the story and the context in which he grew up.

Ultimately, Ndiaye chose Liverpool because they offered the clearest pathway and their approach in getting to know him stood out.

Ndiaye isn't the only player to have been identified and recruited by Liverpool's global talent team.

After the U17 World Cup, Liverpool also made a £2.6m move for another centre-half, Ifeanyi Ndukwe.

Ndukwe was impressive in pre-season and the 18-year-old Austrian has gone on loan to Levante in La Liga as he looks to obtain a UK work permit.

The list doesn't stop there. Samuel Martinez, the 17-year-old Colombian midfielder, will join next summer after having "30 offers from around the world, external", according to his father.

It doesn't always work. Arsenal beat Liverpool to the signing of Andria Bartishvili from Georgia last month and the 17-year-old will join the Gunners next summer when he is 18.

But the moves for Martinez and Ndiaye showcase Liverpool's willingness to spread beyond Europe and into areas they may not have explored before. Given the inevitability of other top clubs circling emerging talent, the idea of selling the pathway that Liverpool offers is imperative.

Since arriving, Ndiaye has settled in with a host family - which is normal when players aren't from the area - that are used to working with Liverpool.

"Players come from varying parts of the world and, when someone comes in and doesn't speak much English at the start, you have to help with that and help understand culturally the differences in food, the weather and even the pitches you play on," Inglethorpe said.

"There's a lot of understanding in terms of the level of support that's needed and the most important thing you can give a young player is the time.

"I'm delighted that Mor made such a strong impression and he's done as well as he has, but we hope that he's going to get better and better as he continues to adapt."

This summer, Liverpool also confirmed moves for Lucca Brughmans, the 18-year-old Belgian goalkeeper, and Djylian N'Guessan, the 18-year-old French forward, with both set to join the club permanently in 2027.

In the modern game, most talents are known and there aren't many hidden gems anymore, but Liverpool believe that by digging deeper and wider they can get ahead of the curve, using their global network and their reputation as a club that will help players develop.