Liverpool’s youngsters have been given the chance to shine during the early part of pre-season.
The summer is always a good time for young players to stake their claim for a place in the first-team.
Last year, Jarell Quansah gave just about the best example possible of this. Not even close to the senior Liverpool squad the season before, Quansah impressed 12 months ago and is now a bona fide first-teamer.
With Arne Slot coming in to replace Jurgen Klopp, the chances for the Liverpool youngsters are now even greater.
Klopp will already have had an inkling about the players coming up through the academy having been at the club for almost a decade. Slot, by contrast, is seeing them for the very first time.
Conor Bradley impressing in training
Of Liverpool’s 28-man squad currently out in the USA, around half of them are young players looking to impress.
There are varying degrees of experience within that core, with most having already played a handful of games.
One who has not yet featured at all for Liverpool is midfielder Luca Stephenson. We think Stephenson could be about to surprise a few people who had perhaps previously never heard of him.
From watching Wednesday’s Inside Training video from LFCTV, though, it is not the 20-year-old who is catching the eye the most.
Instead, few will be surprised to hear that Conor Bradley looks to be the player making the biggest impression out on the training pitches of Pittsburgh.
READ MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai says he’s noticed something ‘different’ in training under Arne Slot
Bradley can be spotted absolutely haring forward during a small-sided game between the Liverpool players.
In one clip, the 21-year-old is seen sprinting beyond Mohamed Salah in an underlapping run. Taking the pass into his stride perfectly, Bradley then dispatches the ball into the net with his left foot
Next, the Northern Irishman does well to ride a challenge from Owen Beck, setting Dominik Szoboszlai up to finish the move.
Finally, Bradley looked absolutely electric as he bursts past two challenges and into the middle of the pitch. His lay-off to Harvey Elliott is excellent, before Elliott tees up Fabio Carvalho for the goal.
Big season ahead for Conor Bradley
Nobody of a Liverpool persuasion will need reminding just how good Bradley is. The right-back absolutely burst onto the scene last scene.
All action, incredibly quick and determined to get forward at every opportunity, he is the perfect back-up to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
With Alexander-Arnold’s future in jeopardy at the moment, Liverpool fans at least know they can rely on Bradley in case the Scouser leaves either this summer or in 12 months time.
For the coming campaign, it should still be expected that Bradley plays second-fiddle to Trent. His injury at this stage last year after a full-on season with Bolton was a reminder that he is still young and should not be pushed past his limit.
But Bradley will still be expected to go up another level this season. On this evidence, he’s primed to do exactly that.
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