Liverpool have teen who’s “so much” like Paul Pogba

Liverpool have not flaked away from prominence after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his manager’s position, as rivals had eagerly anticipated, but instead have presented under Arne Slot a glimpse of an illustrious future.

The Dutchman’s ability to mix his own tactics with the existing way of life at Anfield has been a triumph, even if we are only two months into the 2024/25 campaign.

There’s been so much to like about Liverpool, who have won nine of their ten matches in all competitions this season, but perhaps the most compelling thread stretching from the squad is the rise of Ryan Gravenberch, who is starting to settle in as one of Europe’s finest midfielders.

Ryan Gravenberch’s start to the season

Gravenberch has not only been resurgent for Liverpool but also one of the Premier League’s finest players of the campaign, proving to be utterly mesmerising in his grasp of his new role at number six.

Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League (24/25)
Stat	No.	#
Passes made	476	1st
Carries made	123	1st
Possession won	42	1st
Total duels won	41	1st
Sourced via BBC Sport before MW8*

His seamless integration into Slot’s way of life, more control-focused and patient in the build-up than his predecessor, has finally allowed the Netherlands star to tap into his potential and showcase his quality to the Premier League after playing a more marginal role than he would have hoped for last term, starting 12 times in the top flight.

It’s important to stress that the 22-year-old is not infallible and is bound to encounter a valley at some stage after several months of cresting peaks, but the pointers suggest that Slot has found his long-term answer to the basal problem in midfield – and internally at that.

Gravenberch’s days of multi-functionalism are not over, but they’ve been tempered, and it’s bearing dividends for player and club to an equal measure.

A successful, all-powerful holding midfielder acts as the sea in which his teammates swim, and the Dutchman can play that part for Slot’s team.

His new future in a deep-sitting role means that he may not grow into the kind of role that pulls him away from long-standing comparisons to Paul Pogba, with coaches even claiming last year that he is a “better version” of the former Manchester United midfielder.

Believe it or not, Liverpool might actually have a young talent more aptly drawn to such comparisons in Trey Nyoni, who is starting to look like a real prodigy.

Trey Nyoni’s start to life at Liverpool

Born in 2007, Nyoni has earned acclaim on the youth stage over the past several years, looking a cut above his talented teammates at Leicester City and attracting Liverpool’s attention, signing him as a 16-year-old last summer.

The dynamic midfielder has already made waves on Merseyside, scoring five goals across 23 matches at youth level for the Reds and even making his professional debut in a cameo against Southampton in the FA Cup, which was a significant show of faith by Klopp.

Hailed for his “exceptional” displays by reporter Neil Jones, Nynoi is capable across a range of duties in the middle of the park, also carrying the technique, agility and flair to impress when deployed higher up the field.

Typically a number eight, his balance and confidence bounce off a sharp game intelligence that truly could see him grow into a major player for Slot, with a lanky frame suggesting that he could grow into a robust and powerful player.

Gravenberch might be one of the hottest commodities in the Premier League right now but Nyoni has the skills to far outstrip his senior peer. He might even prove to be Liverpool’s own version of Pogba.

Trey Nyoni could be Slot’s own Paul Pogba

Journalist Antonio Mango has described Nyoni as a “star in the making“, and indeed, he’s proving himself to be the jewel of Liverpool’s success at academy level across recent years, perhaps even carrying quality of such a level that he would become the finest to break into the first team since Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Analyst Ben Mattinson certainly believes Liverpool’s teenager offers the kind of profile that makes him a natural footballing successor to the Pogba-type midfielder. The France World Cup winner has been thrown by the wayside in recent years but, aged 31, has seen his long-term suspension for a failed drug test reduced, with a return date set for March 2025.

Pogba played 233 times for the Red Devils, claiming 87 goal contributions and playing a key part in winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup.

His issues were a matter of temperament, not talent, blessed with a skillset that most footballers could only dream of. Nyoni, for all intents and purposes, carries a similar style and needs only to keep his head down and absorb Slot and Liverpool’s youth bosses’ teachings.

Most striking about Mattinson’s comments, perhaps, is that he notes Nyoni’s effortless approach to his work in midfield. He plies his craft with grace and ease and proved throughout Liverpool’s pre-season that he has a Midas touch in front of goal to add a dimension that Pogba boasted too.

For now, Nyoni’s development needs to be managed with a deft and sure hand, and though there’s little chance of the teenage talent playing a central part in Slot’s plans this term, he could earn some minutes at one stage, and continue to stake his claim for a starring place in the senior squad down the line.