Liverpool's Kirkby academy has been producing some quality young players in recent times.
Promising youth talent such as Ben Woodburn, Ovie Ejaria, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cameron Brannagan, Sheyi Ojo and Pedro Chirivella have found themselves with opportunities in Jurgen Klopp's senior setup this season and last.
The nature of youth footballers is that they are always ebbing and flowing in their development which has prompted us to take a closer look at some other budding Liverpool FC Academy stars who we could be seeing alongside the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Nathaniel Clyne and Roberto Firmino in the not too distant future.
We've identified 5 Liverpool youngsters to look out for…
Shamal George
George is a talented goalkeeper who hails from nearby Wirral.
The 18-year-old first linked up with the Liverpool academy around seven years ago and has risen through the grades.
He is now featuring in the U23 team having made the step up from the U18s in the summer.
Pushed up to Klopp's match day squad on a few occasions last season, sometimes ahead of Adam Bogdan, but the arrival of Loris Karius and Alex Manninger in the summer has seen him focusing on playing with the reserves.
George is a boyhood Reds fan who emerged on the radar of the greater public when he was remarkably deployed by Jurgen Klopp as a striker in a pre-season friendly with Huddersfield Town, sparking the following humorous Tweet of him holding the Ballon d'Or.
Who did this pic.twitter.com/3sGJdIZKOb
— Shamal George (@shamalgeorge) July 20, 2016
There's also a highlight package put together by the Liverpool Echo which shows George in fine form in pre-season training, which indicates just how bright a future he has.
Echo video man @Iancroll1 with a collection of fine saves from gifted young #LFC keeper @shamal_george https://t.co/wR63lsbcYP
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) July 24, 2016
Bobby Adekanye
Liverpool were able to land the exciting talent from Barcelona in 2015 in what was a major coup for the Reds academy.
Born in Nigeria but a Dutch youth international, 17-year-old Adekanye has grown enormously in stature over the past year or so.
Adekanye only returned from injury in October but is expected to play a key role for Neil Critchley's U18 outfit for the remainder of 2016/17.
He is formerly of both Ajax and PSV's youth setups but is now flourishing in England thanks to a previous experience back in Holland which gave him the inspiration to pursue a professional career.
Bobby told the Liverpool Echo last month: “I think I was 12 or 13 and Ajax were playing Feyenoord.
“Before the game I was out doing keepie-uppies with some of the other young players.
“Luis Suarez was one of the stars of the first team at the time and I got a photo with him.
“So it was a great day, my first experience of being at a big match, and that gave me a taste of what football could be like if I could make it."
Adekanye labels Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben as his idol as he shares similar qualities such as lightning speed, the ability to dribble past opponents and a powerful left boot.
Born in Guinea Bissau, Gomes arrived at Liverpool's academy at the beginning of 2015.
Gomes, 18, penned a two-year pro deal in July after showing plenty in a season-and-a-half with the U18s.
The striker moved to Portugal at the age of 15 and has represented this adoptive nation at youth level.
Gomes has been given chances in the U23s this season by recently-departed coach Michael Beale who has a very high opinion of the promising youngster.
"For a young player if you play four or five games on the bounce you settle – especially if you're a centre forward and the chances come," he told the Liverpool Echo.
"It's early for him, he's only an under 18. When Jerome Sinclair played as an under 18 he didn't score too many goals either.
“So I think Toni's overall record in the youth team last year – 20 plus goals – and five or six this year is across the two teams is still positive."
The speedy attacker has mixed his time between the U18s and U23s this term and will continue to be given chances as his development is nurtured by the Reds.
Juanma Garcia
Another promising Spaniard who has come to England after starting out in Barcelona's famed La Masia academy.
Juanma is an assured defender mainly operating at left-back but can also slip into central defence if required.
While he produces his best work on the left side of defence, he has been likened to Manchester City right-back Pablo Zabaleta, perhaps because of his no-fuss style and determination.
Beale once said of Juanma: “I quite like him, he reminds he a little bit of someone like a Pablo Zabaleta-type player, a nice player."
Has represented Spain at four different youth levels and developed his game with Barca for about eight years before making the move to Merseyside.
Juanma immediately endeared himself to the Anfield faithful with a strong greeting message after he signed with the famous club.
Thanks Liverpool FC! YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE!! pic.twitter.com/BKsgSCUeEs
— Juanma Garcia Rey (@JuanmaGarciaRey) August 11, 2016
Brooks Lennon
Lennon is a 19-year-old striker who hails from Arizona in the USA.
The youngster, whose father's name coincidentally is John (think about it…), starred for MLS club Real Salt Lake's academy in 2014/15 before moving to England.
The USA U18 international has an Irish passport through his grandparents and has been given a chance in the U23s recently since Danny Ings suffered another knee injury, and took advantage of that by going on a scoring run in October and November.
Speaking of the qualities he brings to Merseyside, Lennon told ESPN in September: “I feel my attributes are breaking the lines and running in behind the defence and scoring goals.
“I'm good in front of goal and I just need to keep working on different parts of my game that need to be fixed."
Lennon, who scored in the 'mini Merseyside derby' against local rivals Everton in October, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Borussia Dortmund's American talent Christian Pulisic by taking a leaf out of the book of Cristiano Ronaldo.
He also told ESPN: “I've played with Christian [in U.S. youth teams] before. He's a good kid and he's succeeding really well.
“He's playing a lot at Dortmund and also getting his chance with the first team at the international level. It definitely gives hope for the young American kids that are in Europe and hope that I can be alongside him and break into the first team here at Liverpool and hopefully get my chance with the U.S. I just need to stay focused and I think it will happen.
“My idol right now is Cristiano Ronaldo just because I like his work ethic.
“He's not just talented, he goes and works every day before and after practice."
And seeing fellow academy stars like Ovie Ejaria getting their chance at senior level, Lennon says it gives players like him hope that Klopp may soon offer a senior opportunity.
“I hope by him doing it then we can keep the story going and keep moving academy players to the first team, and hopefully I'm one of them," he added.
Lennon is competing with Toni Gomes for a starting spot in the U23 side and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to fire following the exit of Beale, who has been bringing him along slowly but surely.