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The signing may have come as somewhat of a surprise to Reds fans, and he's not the expensive marquee signing they crave, but Dominic Solanke remains the only confirmed deal of Liverpool's summer transfer window thus far. A free transfer from Chelsea, expectations for the 19-year old range from squad filler to be sold on in a year or three to guaranteed superstar, with the truth most likely to be found somewhere in between.
Solanke is also one of few Reds currently playing competitive football, as he leads the line for England at the U-20 World Cup in South Korea, topping the team's scoring charts with four goals in six appearances. Two of those goals came in the semi-finals against Italy on Thursday, as England came back from a goal down to beat the young Azzurri, booking their place in the competition's final where they will face Venezuela.
Featuring alongside Solanke at the tournament are fellow prospects Sheyi Ojo and Ovie Ejaria, both of whom have seen first-team minutes under Jürgen Klopp. The former is excited about his international teammate joining Liverpool
“I have played with Dom through the age groups since we were 17," said the young winger following the team's semi-final win. "He works very hard for the team and if you want goals, Dom’s the guy. He will be a great addition for Liverpool.
“Coming into the tournament, the goal was to win the World Cup," he continued. "We have played well, but I don’t think we have played to our maximum yet. There are a lot of good players in the squad. As individuals and a team we just want to do everything we can now on Sunday. We know what we want to do.”
Hopefully, the young Reds can buck the Liverpool trend of losing finals and collect the trophy on Sunday, taking some of that confidence and winning experience with them back to Melwood, using it to propel their careers and their club's fortunes upwards in the immediate and distant future.
Here's hoping. And also, the goals.