Ben Doak, a 19-year-old forward, joined Liverpool from Celtic at a young age and made several first-team appearances under Jurgen Klopp’s regime, and showed great promise for the future. He created chances from his wing position with his sharp and speedy dribbling ability.
With the arrival of manager Arne Slot, he did not show as much confidence as last season and this season he was loaned out to Championship side Middlesbrough.
The Italian international Federico Chiesa was secured as a reserve for Mohamed Salah, and a solid attacker line-up was assembled.
Referring to the departure of the young winger, who is also starting to emerge in the Scotland national team, David Lynch (English journalist) also mentioned that he could have left Liverpool this summer, casting serious doubt on his ability to break into the first team from next season onwards.
“It was my understanding there was an openness to selling him in the summer just gone. That was something that was on the table.”
“I feel like it would take something huge for that [openness to selling him] to change this season and he’d have to do more in this loan spell at Middlesbrough – score more goals, set some more goals up, and those numbers aren’t quite there.”
“The fact that [the club] did make that call last summer, even though it didn’t end in a permanent exit, I just think the writing is on the wall for him at Liverpool.”
“I’m not sure that he’s a guaranteed future star at Liverpool. I think they’re just too well stocked in those forward positions now – they’ve got six there, they probably can’t offer him the minutes.”
“The big question mark is, if you are going to be Liverpool level, it is [about] end product. You look at Mo Salah’s output, that is what Liverpool need on that right wing.”
“I don’t think it’s one where he’s going to come back and be a first teamer, not least because if [Slot] signs Salah to a new contract, he’s got Chiesa in front of him, he’s got Salah in front of him.”
“I’m not writing him off by any means. He’s a very, very young lad and there’s a lot of development to come.”
“He still can have a really, really good career and be one of those who has a slightly delayed climb to the very top of the game, and maybe Liverpool will regret it in the long term.”
Sports Mole