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Football Manager 2018 is rocking the lives of many virtual managers. Some have been sacked, some have already led their team to glory and some of them are still waiting around twiddling their thumbs waiting to see which team suits their revolutionary Libero inspired Strikerless tactic best.
Others want to become a 1-0 to Arsenal sort of boring side that grinds out results consistently (I know, Arsenal and consistent were a thing once). No matter where the slightly crazy football maniacs place themselves on the spectrum of style- all of them are universally interested in the best youth prospects coming out their club at the moment.
In many ways it is quite fortunate the Football Manager 2018 is so vast and so accurate with a history of projecting future superstars or else these men and women who toil so hard would never be able to inspire the next generation with their tales of having beaten Real Madrid at the Hawthorns in an epic Champions League final in 2029 with Rhian Brewster.
In this list, we take a look at which Liverpool U-21 stars have the best chance of fitting straight into your team and could become world beaters with a bit of nurturing. One thing to take note of here is that the players being looked at here are all available straight away in the first season of the game and are not out on loan.
#5 Dominic Solanke
The Chelsea Academy product made a lot of headlines after impressing viewers in the Under-20 World Cup held this summer. One of the key architects of England's victory, Solanke has been rated highly at Chelsea since his U-16 days. He was sent on loan to feeder Club Vitesse in the Eredivise where he impressed in 25 games for the Dutch side in the league, scoring seven goals.
He returned to Chelsea only to be largely restricted to the U-23 side and not given a senior team run and rejected a chance to go out on loan. He was involved in the matchday squad for an EFL Cup game but was not given any time on the pitch. There were rumours about Solanke failing to agree terms at Chelsea.
He let his Chelsea contract run out and instead joined Liverpool in the hope of first-team opportunities. He has played six times in the league already for the Reds.
A technically sound player, Solanke is incredibly fit and possesses good pace and strength for his age. Composed when faced with crucial decisions, he could improve massively in the future. He is an England U-21 international and his style of play allows chances to be created around him and is a very useful support striker already. The only downside is his rather weak determination which could be spiced up with a decent tutor.
#4 Marko Grujic
The central midfielder is a gem of a player. He is suited to a deeper role on the pitch and has no real natural weaknesses in his game. A price of £5 million sounds like a steal, especially in the long run for the Serbian player.
He struggled to come to terms with the league in the last season and was given more time to adapt by the Liverpool coaching staff. He impressed once more in pre-season for the Reds, especially in one of the final pre-season games against Athletic Bilbao.
In terms of reality Grujic is said to be slightly lazy in terms of his defensive facets of a match but he is only 21 and possesses talent and could really improve with a bit of time.
He has been voted Player of the Season at his last season at Red Star Belgrade and it shows his ability to stand out in a good team. On Football Manager 18, Grujic is still a hot prospect in the Liverpool squad and a glance at his profile will tell you most teams would bite their hands off to have him directly in and around the first team.
With a balanced personality and a determined attitude, Grujic looks like he could develop into a world-beater and the best part is that he is available at Liverpool from the get-go and little wonder he's being kept around too!
#3 Joe Gomez
Now, all those who have followed the young man's career knows that injury has stopped him from becoming an indispensable member of the senior team at Anfield. Making his move from Charlton Athletic a couple of seasons ago, the Englishman was given a chance to impress at Left Back and impress he did until injury cruelly cut short his season.
He had already played 21 games for Charlton and Liverpool were essentially a step up for the youngster who was just 19 at that point in time. What was particularly impressive about Gomez was his ability to try and play football 'the right way', with the ball at his feet. The confidence he displayed at 19 was impressive and he was immediately touted as the next big thing for the English defence.
He was restricted to FA Cup games last season because he only recovered in January and took a long time to bed into his game and get into a rhythm only towards the end of the season.
This season has been different however with the youngster having already played 8 times for Liverpool in the league apart from Champions League and League Cup appearances.
Joe Gomez is an excellent option because he can play anywhere on the back line, even though he is naturally a central defender. He is aggressive and brave enough to put in tackles with a concentration and positioning that puts him at an advantage over an average defender. Gomez is literally Liverpool's best hope in terms of improving their defence, unless they can afford to get in someone more experienced but Gomez is already in the squad and he fits every bill!
#2 Ben Woodburn
How many 17-year-olds can claim a crucial goal in a crunch international game? Fighting for a place to be in the race of World Cup Playoffs, Wales were all but out of the contention when Chris Coleman threw on 17-year-old Woodburn into the mix and lo and behold, the teenager managed to score the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Austria.
He already has four Wales senior caps and played nine games in all competitions for Liverpool last season. Though he has yet to score in the league for the Reds, Woodburn was a part of the senior training camp in pre-season and is often a part of the senior sessions. He is an incredible prospect for Liverpool but he still has some way to mature physically to be an effective and consistent threat up front.
That is probably why he has not made any appearances so far this season, with Klopp keen on easing the pressure on the Welsh striker. In Football Manager 2018, Woodburn is in the U-19 side and much like in real life is starring for them.
The right-footed player, he has very good technique and is quick enough to cause problems for the opposition. He is also versatile and a resilient personality means he is never going to be bogged down by situations around him making him an extremely reliable player. He has brilliant vision and composure and can excel both in a supporting and attacking role upfront.
A real gem!
#1 Trent Alexander-Arnold
It is difficult to say something that has already not been said about the 19-year-old English youngster. He broke into the first team last season after having been involved in pre-season in Brendan Rodgers last pre-season. He signed a three-year contract extension last season at Liverpool and has grown from strength to strength.
Arnold was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Season for 2016/17 and was nominated by the Best Player in Premier League 2. Arnold made 12 appearances for Liverpool last season in all competitions. He was particularly impressive in a 1-1 draw away from home at Manchester United, in a game that happened to be his first league start.
A Full-Back who has a great cross, he can cause problems running down the flank.
He is also adept at Free-Kicks, scoring from a free kick against Hoffenheim on his Champions League debut. His only problem is his weak aerial ability. He is 5'11" which is not very tall but could grow slightly at 18 years of age. But a jumping reach of 8 and a Heading ability of 10 need to see some improvement.
That, however, does not take away from his versatility and potential to excel midfield if required and if cared for properly Arnold could emerge as a Phillip Lahm type of player for Liverpool. If he gets anywhere close to the German legend, you know that you are in very safe hands on and off the pitch.
