Charlton Athletic academy chief Steve Avory has lifted the lid on how Liverpool signed Joe Gomez.

At 17, Gomez was handed his Charlton debut and less than 12 months later completed a £3.5m move to Liverpool. Avory was the least surprised man in football.

"Premier League clubs were coming in for him at 15, 16, and that move was resisted by not only us, but by his family," he said. "His mum and dad felt Charlton Athletic was the best place for him to develop at that age."

Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers, however, were able to convince Gomez - and his supportive parents - that a switch to Anfield would be ideal.

"It was good talent identification from Liverpool," he told the Liverpool Echo. "They will have been watching him for quite some time."