Liverpool linked with Ajax & England goalkeeping starlet

Liverpool are among the clubs interested in Ajax goalkeeper Charlie Setford, according to one report.

19-year-old Setford is a goalkeeper with the Dutch giants youth side Jong Ajax, but has already made the matchday squad for the senior team on several occasions, including in the Champions League.

The son of a former pro golfer, Setford was born in the Netherlands, but represents England at youth level, where has made appearances at Under-16 and Under-18 level and is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in his position.

TEAMtalk claim that the Reds – along with Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham – have been "looking closely" at the young stopper, whose contract in Amsterdam runs until 2027.

Meanwhile, Charlie's younger brother Tommy, who is also a goalkeeper at Ajax, is of interest to Tottenham and Newcastle.

Back in 2021, Setford became the youngest goalkeeper ever to start for Jong Ajax when he played in a match against FC Den Bosch. The same year he was also named on the bench for the senior side's Champions League group stage win over Besiktas.

In an interview with the BBC, the keeper revealed why he chose to represent England over his country of birth, saying: "I could play for Holland but I want to make my dad proud. He is English and has been there all the time for me. One thing I always wanted to achieve was to play for England.

"My heart lies in England. At England, they’ve got more trust in me than they would at Holland, for my feeling. So that’s one of the biggest reasons why I chose for England."

Liverpool's goalkeeping pecking order may well change next season, with Adrian's contract set to expire in June.

20-year-old Brazilian Marcelo Pitaluga is highly rated at Anfield and was recently selected for his country's Pre-Olympic squad.