Liverpool invests £20 million following Guehi's unacquired status, claims report
Liverpool Football Club is set to invest £20m in a comprehensive redevelopment project for its youth training base at Kirkby. The ambitious plans, reported by The Athletic, aim to bolster the club's long-term prospects and cement its status as a leading force in English football.
The redevelopment project will see various improvements to the existing academy building, with an extensive revamp planned. Notably, an indoor dome will be constructed on the current main pitch and connected to the academy building. This dome will provide a full-size indoor pitch for the first time, offering year-round training opportunities for the club's young talents.
The outdoor artificial surface will be replaced with a grass pitch, becoming the centrepiece with a new stand for around 500 spectators. The dome's medical and sports science areas will also be enhanced, ensuring the club's youth players receive top-tier care and support.
The first phase of the Kirkby redevelopment saw around £2m spent on various additions to the site, including cages, a skills area, and floodlights. This investment in youth facilities, coaching, and education is considered the best way for elite clubs to prepare for the future, as our website has previously reported.
Liverpool's commitment to nurturing homegrown talent has already paid dividends. Trent Alexander-Arnold's nine-season contribution to the first-team squad has saved the club around £145m based on potential costs of buying and retaining a top right-back during that period, according to calculations by Twenty First Group.
The club has also made strategic signings during the summer transfer window, bringing in Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez. Sales of Liverpool's academy players brought in around £100 million in transfer fees during the same period.
Liverpool's academy is set to benefit further with Aston Villa's obligation to buy Harvey Elliott next year. The club hopes to complete the Kirkby redevelopment project in 2028. Liverpool's management has agreed to submit a planning application for the project this month, marking a significant step forward in the club's ambitious plans to strengthen its team in the long term.
Julian Ward, the technical director of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), has visited more than 25 clubs in Europe to inform the plans for the second phase of the Kirkby redevelopment. The club's ambition is clear: to create a world-class youth training facility that will produce the stars of tomorrow and secure Liverpool's place at the top of English football for years to come.
