Liverpool prodigy in line for SHOCK USA selection

The youth movement at Liverpool continues to go from strength to strength this season.

Trey Nyoni finally made his first-team debut against Brighton in the League Cup last week, whilst a myriad of young players such as Rio Ngumoha, Isaac Mabaya and Oakley Cannonier have all been spotted training with the first-team as their respective youth seasons continue.

The newest development in the exciting youth cycle is that of under-16s right-back Keehan Barret-Underwood, who has been called up to the USA Under-17s training squad for the first time for this upcoming week.

READ MORE: Milos Kerkez is coming to Liverpool

Barret-Underwood has previously represented England’s Under-16s side for a pair of friendlies against Italy in August 2023. The game in which Barret-Underwood played 80 minutes finished 1-1, whilst Italy ran out 3-1 winners when the Liverpool man was relegated to a back-up role.

He joins the American youth setup as they prepare for CONCACAF’s Under-17 World Cup qualifying tournament. If he were to make the final squad for that set of fixtures in February, the US will face Cuba, St Kitts and Nevis, and the US Virgin Islands as they seek to make it to next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

The Americans performed well at last year’s edition of the World Cup in Indonesia, finishing second in their group after victories over South Korea, and Burkina Faso, and losing only to France.

They were then knocked out in the Round of 16 by eventual champions Germany, making the 3-2 loss look very respectable.

The 2025 World Cup, however, is being revolutionised into a convoluted setup. 48 teams will be divided into four 'mini-tournaments' of 12 teams, each ‘mini-tournament’ divided into three groups of four.

The winners and the best runners-up of the groups qualify to a four-team knockout stage. The winners of each of these mini-tournaments qualify to a 'final four' tournament with two semi-finals, a third place match and a final to decide the winners.

With Liverpool’s right-back scenario up in the air as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at the club remains uncommitted, the development of Barret-Underwood is definitely one to keep an eye on.

READ MORE: €50m Liverpool target SPOTTED at AXA Training Centre