Liverpool’s former Football Manager wonderkids and where they are now

Liverpool have had their fair share of talented youngsters over the years and although they’ve all possessed genuine talent, only a select few have ever made it into the Reds first team for a prolonged period.

Special talents like Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Phil Thompson, Steve McManaman and most recently, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones, have all played a big role in the club’s history.

And then there are players like Conor Coady, Rhian Brewster, Martin Kelly, Daniel Ayala and Jay Spearing, who have left Anfield to enjoy relative success elsewhere.

But what about the rest of the talented wonderkids that Liverpool have had over the years?

We’ve rounded up a selection of former talented Liverpool youngsters, to see what happened to them after leaving Anfield.

Danny Wilson

Position: Central defender

Nationality: Scottish

Liverpool appearances: 2

Wilson actually came through the youth system at Rangers, but Liverpool snapped him up when he was just 19 after emerging as a promising talent.

He had won the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award in his previous season, and big things were expected of him – and Football Manager 2011 had him down as a star of the future. Loan spells at Blackpool, Bristol City and Hearts followed, before he joined the Scottish club permanently in 2013.

He returned to Rangers in 2015, before joining MLS side Colorado Rapids in 2018, where he still plays today, aged 29.

Lauri Dalla Valle

Position: Forward

Nationality: Finnish

Liverpool appearances: 1

Dalla Valle was one of the best strikers in his age group when he joined Liverpool in 2008. He scored eight goals in the FA Youth Cup in 2009, including four against Birmingham City in the semi-finals.

But Dalla Valle eventually joined Fulham in 2010, along with Alexander Kačaniklić, as part of the deal that saw full-back Paul Konchesky move to Anfield. From here, his career went downhill very quickly.

Moves to Bournemouth, Dundee United, Exeter, Crewe, Molde, Sint-Truiden, Crewe (again) and Zemun followed, before officially retiring aged just 27 to focus on his photography business.

Jordan Ibe

Position: Winger

Nationality: English

Liverpool appearances: 58

Ibe burst on to the scene under former boss Brendan Rodgers, with the winger signing a five-year deal in 2015. The now 24-year-old showed glimpses of his outstanding quality at Anfield, with many tipping him to have a similar career as Raheem Sterling.

However, he eventually signed for Bournemouth in 2016 for a reported £15 million fee, but never really made the impact that many expected, with Ibe eventually released by the Championship side at the end of the 2019/20 season.

Ibe signed for Derby County in September 2020 and has made one appearance in his time at the club so far.

Jon Flanagan

Position: Full-back

Nationality: English

Liverpool appearances: 51

It’s often forgotten that Flanagan, also known as the ‘Scouse Cafu’, was a key player in Liverpool’s 2013/14 Premier League title challenge, with the full-back making 23 appearances that season, often at left-back.

in 2015, Brazilian legend Cafu told the official Liverpool website that the full-back could be his successor.

« I first started hearing about him by watching Premier League matches and observing his performance along with other players, » said Cafu.

« I then started seeing some news saying he is the Red Cafu! So there’s nothing better than coming to the city and taking a picture with my successor.

« He has speed, strength and determination. He’s an athlete who goes after it and never gives it up. That’s exactly what I used to do; there were no missing chances for me, no tiredness and no being dejected.

« I see that style in him too. I hope he continues that way and achieves as many trophies as I did. »

Unfortunately, Flanagan would only make another five Premier League appearances for the club after that interview, with the defender having loan spells at Burnley and Bolton, before making a permanent move to Rangers in 2018.

Following his release from Rangers in May 2020, the defender joined Belgian first division side Charleroi in November on a deal until the end of the season.

Mikel San Jose

Position: Defender/Midfielder

Nationality: Spanish

Liverpool appearances: 0

Liverpool signed the hugely promising 18-year-old from Athletic Bilbao in 2007, with the Spaniard establishing himself as a key player for the club’s reserve team, even appearing in a few first-team squads.

But the now 31-year-old re-joined the Basque side in 2009 on loan, making the move permanent in 2010. San Jose went on to become a key player for the La Liga side, making 397 appearances for the club.

He scored a stunning goal in Athletic’s Supercopa de España win against Barcelona, scoring from close to the halfway line in the first-leg, with the Basque side going on to win the trophy. He left Athletic in September 2020 for Birmingham City, with the Spaniard a first-team regular at the club.

Peter Gulacsi

Position: Goalkeeper

Nationality: Hungarian

Liverpool appearances: 0

Signed from MTK Budapest FC as a very talented young goalkeeper, the Hungarian never actually made an appearance for Liverpool, instead going on several loans to teams like Hereford United, Tranmere Rovers and Hull City.

Gulacsi left Liverpool for Red Bull Salzburg in 2013 before being transferred to RB Leipzig in 2015.

The goalkeeper has since developed into one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, with the Bundesliga side reaching the Champions League semi-finals last season and are Bayern Munich’s nearest challengers in the Bundesliga.

Raheem Sterling

Position: Forward

Nationality: English

Liverpool appearances: 129

Signed for a reported fee of just £450,000 from QPR in February 2010, Raheem Sterling joined Liverpool as a genuine wonderkid with the world at his feet.

After making his senior debut for the Reds in March 2012, Sterling enjoyed four hugely productive seasons at Anfield, winning the Golden Boy award in 2014 and playing a massive part in the club’s title challenge in 2013/14.

But following an internal dispute regarding a new contract, Sterling was sold to Premier League rivals Manchester City on July 14 2015 for around £50 million, becoming the most expensive English player of all time.

The former Reds man has gone on to win three Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup title at City, and is now considered as one of the most talented players in English football, also earning 61 caps for the England national team.

Emiliano Insua

Position: Full-back

Nationality: Argentinian

Liverpool appearances: 62

Insua was a highly promising left-back, who made 62 appearances for the Reds in all competitions but never really cemented his first-team spot at Anfield.

The Argentine left the Reds in August 2011, joining Sporting CP on a permanent deal.

He’s since gone on to have a very decent career, turning out for Atletico Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, VfB Stuttgart and LA Galaxy.

Now aged 32, Insua is back in Argentina with Primera Division side Aldosivi.

Suso

Position: Attacking midfielder

Nationality: Spanish

Liverpool appearances: 14

Suso joined Liverpool in 2010 aged just 17, after coming through the youth system at Spanish side Cadiz. He would become a regular for the Reds reserve side, showcasing his massive potential.

He went on loan to La Liga side Almeria in 2013, where he started to show some real form, making 33 appearances.

AC Milan snapped up the midfielder in January 2015, after failing to get the necessary playing time at Anfield, with the likes of Lazar Markovic, Jordan Ibe and Raheem Sterling preferred.

After a successful loan spell at Genoa in 2016, Suso returned to Milan and had real success in Italy, becoming one of the most sought-after midfield talents in the country.

The Spaniard joined Sevilla on an 18-month loan deal in January 2020, with the Spanish side later making the deal permanent.

Suso played a major role in their 2019/20 Europa League triumph and continues to be an important member of their squad, with Sevilla locked in a tense La Liga title race in 2020/21.

Anthony Le Tallec

Position: Forward

Nationality: French

Liverpool appearances: 17

Le Tallec was signed in the same period as Sinama Pongolle after playing in the same 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship tournament, with Le Tallec winning the second-best player award.

The highlight of the Frenchman’s Liverpool career was when he started as a forward in the Champions League quarter-final against Juventus, with the Reds going on to win the tournament that year against AC Milan in Istanbul.

Sadly though, Le Tallec’s career had peaked at Liverpool.

He left in 2008 to join Le Mans, before going on to play for Auxerre, Valenciennes, Atromitos, Astra Giurgiu and Ligue 2 side US Orléans.

Now 36, Le Tallec is currently playing for French amateur side Annecy FC.

Dani Pacheco

Position: Forward

Nationality: Spanish

Liverpool appearances: 5

Pacheco was poached from La Liga giants Barcelona in 2007, in what was considered a major coup for Liverpool.

With dazzling skills, superb technique and a killer instinct, the Spaniard had the world at his feet. However, his Anfield career never really took off.

He failed to impress in loan spells at Norwich, Atletico Madrid and Huesca, before being sold to AD Alcorcón in 2013.

He would then go on to play for Real Betis, Alaves, Getafe and Malaga.

Now 30, Pacheco currently plays for Spanish second division side UD Logrones.

Krisztian Nemeth

Position: Forward

Nationality: Hungarian

Liverpool appearances: 0

Liverpool swooped to sign this young striker in 2007 when, aged just 17, Nemeth scored 18 goals in 37 games for Hungarian side MTK Hungaria.

However, injuries curtailed his early career, with loan spells at Blackpool and AEK Athens proving unsuccessful.

He eventually joined Olympiacos permanently in 2010, before going on to play for MTK Budapest, RKC Waalwijk, Roda JC, Sporting Kansas City, Al-Gharafa, New England Revolution and Sporting Kansas City.

Nemeth had a one-game stint at Slovakian side FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda earlier in 2020 before returning to the USA to join Columbus Crew in October 2020.

Krisztián Adorján

Position: Forward

Nationality: Hungarian

Liverpool appearances: 0

Yet another Hungarian striking wonderkid, Adorjan joined the Reds in 2009 but never made a first-team appearance for the club.

The striker joined Dutch side Groningen on loan in 2013, before leaving Anfield permanently in 2014 for Italian side Novara.

He’s since played for clubs like FK Partizani, Dundalk and most recently, Serie B side Virtus Entella.

Now aged 28, he’s scored just seven senior career goals and is without a club.

Jerome Sinclair

Position: Forward

Nationality: English

Liverpool appearances: 2

Sinclair was a hugely promising striker in the West Bromwich Albion academy before Liverpool snapped him up in 2011 aged 14.

But despite being a genuine wonderkid in his early years, Sinclair has struggled to live up to the huge expectations on his shoulders.

After making two appearances for the Reds, Sinclair joined Watford in 2016, but after only a handful of appearances, the striker has been sent on four successive loan deals, at Birmingham City, Sunderland, Oxford United and VVV Venlo, where he went goalless in 23 games.

He joined CSKA Sofia on a one-year loan deal in October 2020 but has only scored one goal in 14 appearances so far this season.

*What do you remember of these former Liverpool wonderkids? Let us know in the comments