Every Premier League club is on the lookout for the next big star and Liverpool are no different. The Merseyside club have a history of producing great youngsters that would later break into the first team. And the Reds seem to have found their next big star in the making with Liam Millar.
Millar is a Canada U20 international and had joined the Liverpool academy at the end of the last season from another English club, Fulham. The striker was in brilliant form during pre-season and even scored a hat-trick for the U18 side against Blackburn last month.
That seems to have turned the heads at the club and Millar has now been provided with a professional contract. There have been rave reviews about the youngster and U18 manager Neil Critchley was quoted by the Express as saying:
“What I like about him is he can run down the side of defenders, he runs in behind, he gives them real problems with his movement and he’s a good finisher off both feet.
“We’ve been extremely pleased with him since he’s come in, he’s settled into the group straight away, it’s like he’s been here for years.
“He’s got a good brain, good awareness, very calm and can finish. He’s a good player, a good all round player.”
What next for Millar?
Millar is just 17 years old at the moment and has a long way to go. The Canadian will probably spend a couple of seasons in the reserves side, should he progress well in the U18 side. Liverpool are known to provide their youngsters a chance to perform and Millar will be no different.
He will hope to follow the footsteps of Michael Owen from the past, who was part of the senior Liverpool squad when he was 17. That is a high benchmark for the youngster and if he is even half as good as Owen was during his younger days, Liverpool would have found a gem.
The Reds have played a number of youngsters under Jurgen Klopp as well. Brad Smith, Sheyi Ojo, Cameron Brannagan are just some of the stars to have been given important minutes by Klopp.
That is one thing working in his favour. The German manager is always willing to try out a player if he does well in training. And that is exactly what Millar will have to do at Liverpool. If he keeps his head down and performs at the club, there is no doubt, he still gets a game for the Reds.
There is a lot of competition in the side but Millar does seem to have the traits which will take him far. For all Liverpool fans, they will hope the Canadian has a great and long career at Merseyside.
