Liverpool’s young talents have shone this season with the conflicting schedule of the Club World Cup and the Carabao cup.
Despite losing to Aston Villa, the young Reds earned praise up and down the country for their performances.
Most notable of their endeavours this season was the historic 1-0 FA Cup win over Merseyside rivals Everton. The FA Cup also provided the stage for Curtis Jones, who became Liverpool’s youngest ever captain, as the Reds beat Shrewsbury in an FA Cup replay at Anfield.
Here we look at what Liverpool’s team could look like five years from now in 2025. Now we’ve had to set some guidelines for the team. While it’s unlikely Liverpool will sign nobody in that time, it’s simply impossible to predict who they may sign or sell in this period.
So we are looking at the current squad and the academy players contracted to Liverpool.
Goalkeeper – Alisson
Since arriving, Alisson has added an assuredness and reliability in the Liverpool net that has been missing since the departure of Pepe Reina in 2013. While Mignolet had more bright sparks than Karius, neither filled the Anfield faithful with a great deal of confidence.
However Alisson is a world-class ‘keeper, and what seemed like the final piece in the jigsaw when he signed in 2018. His lofty price tag was justified as he was phenomenal as Liverpool lifted their sixth European Cup in Madrid, going one better than the year before in Kiev.
At 27, it’s likely that the Brazilian will still be playing at 32, so he is our choice in goal. While Caoimhin Kelleher looks a smart shot-stopper, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to displace Alisson in the next 5 years.
Right back – Neco Williams
Neco Williams has been one of Liverpool’s breakout stars this season. With the obvious and deserved hype around Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliot, Williams was sometimes starved of media attention.
In five years the Wales U19 international will be 24 and hopefully by then a fully-fledged Liverpool player. He has shown signs in his performances in the cup, most notably against Everton that he is the real deal.
Centre back – Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez has gone from a player struggling to compete with Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip, to one of the first names on the team sheet this season he has emerged as a first choice centre half for Liverpool and England.
His classiness and coolness demonstrate van Dijk’s positive influence on the 22-year-old. In five years, Gomez should be one of the best centre backs in the world should he follow his upward trajectory.
Centre back – Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk has easily been Liverpool’s most influential signings since Luis Suarez. Like the Uruguayan, van Dijk took the Reds to a place where they could be considered genuine title contenders.
But unlike the striker, it seems as though van Dijk has found his dream move, where Liverpool was a stepping stone towards Suarez’s: Barcelona.
The towering defender rarely looks flustered, or out of control, as he seemingly glides through the game. Many believe he was unlucky not to be the first defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 to win the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
Van Dijk will be 33 in 2025, but his performances over the last few seasons show he has the ability to play well into his thirties.
Left back – Andy Robertson
Andy Robertson will be 31 in 2025 and most likely in the twilight years of his career. The Scotland captain has had a meteoric rise in the past few years since being released by Celtic in 2009 at 17.
Robertson was the welcomed replacement for Alberto Moreno, a likeable character who simply wasn’t good enough for where the Reds wanted to be.
There were questions over whether or not Robertson himself would be a good enough signing from relegated Hull City in 2017. Those doubts were quickly squashed, as Robertson delivered respectable performances. In 2018/19, Robertson shone as the Scotsman provided 13 assists.
Central midfield – Trent Alexander-Arnold
For those who thought that the Scouser wasn’t going to feature in this eleven, it’s time to catch your breath. He’s here!
Trent Alexander-Arnold has shown he has the dynamism and the passing range required to play in midfield, shown in his man of the match performance this season against Leicester.
As a deep lying midfielder, Alexander-Arnold could control the tempo of the game in a regista role for the Reds. It’s astonishing to think in five years the Scouser will only be 26, with him already having 2 full seasons under his belt.
Trent will not be the first to transition from right back to another area of the field. Liverpool legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher both started their Liverpool careers at right back before moving to centre midfield and centre back respectively.
Central midfield – Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson has come a long way from nearly being shipped out to Fulham to make way for Clint Dempsey. The Liverpool captain was deservedly one of the favourites for PFA Player of the Season before the COVID-19 outbreak and since then has helped set up the ‘#PlayersTogether’ campaign to help support the NHS.
At 29, Henderson is an inclusion that will raise eyebrows but his fitness and professionalism are things that have always been complimented even when his footballing ability was questioned. In 2025, the England international will be 34, the same age as vice-captain James Milner.
Like Milner, Henderson would probably only play a bit part role in this team, but as club captain we have included him over Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, simply to acknowledge the fact he will still be at Anfield. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a worthy successor in midfield, with his skill set being the closest Liverpool has come to replacing Gerrard since he left in 2015.
Central midfield – Curtis Jones
Curtis Jones is by far and beyond the most exciting prospect to come out of Liverpool’s academy this season.
The 19-year-old was made captain of the U23s before the start of this season and has taken to his new responsibilities in style, netting 17 goals in academy football this year. In 2025 he will be 24 years old and will most likely have been a first team regular for some time.
Even Klopp himself has said that should nothing go horribly wrong, Jones will be a Liverpool regular.
Before this season, Jones had only made appearances for Liverpool in a FA Cup defeat to Wolves but now, Jones is the club’s youngest ever captain at 19 years and 5 days.
He sets to fill a void in Klopp’s midfield left by Philippe Coutinho that the struggling Naby Keita hasn’t filled, a midfielder whose primary purpose is to create. This was shown firsthand in Jones’ stunning strike which beat Everton in the FA Cup back in January.
Left Winger – Harvey Elliott
It’s hard to believe that in 2025, Harvey Elliott will still be just 22. In 2025, Sadio Mane will be 33 and by that point, it’s clear to see that Elliott’s promise may eclipse the Senegalese, who will be in the latter stages of his career.
Elliott has shown in his limited performances this season that he has the potential to be a special player. For no fault of his own, at times his age has meant he has been physically dominated but it must be noted that Elliott isn’t even old enough to vote yet.
Like Jones, he has shone for Liverpool’s U23s and has not looked to be playing with players some five years older than him. By 2025, Elliott will be physically developed and by that point, he may have started to tap into the promise he has shown this season.
Even in 2025, Elliott will still be a few years off his peak and so he is definitely for the future at Anfield.
Right Winger – Mo Salah
Mo Salah will be 32 years old in 2025 and most likely nearing the end of his career. The Egyptian, like Mane, will probably have to adapt his game if he wishes to play into his thirties at Anfield, with so much of his current game relying on pace.
In this team, Oxlade-Chamberlain could easily come into midfield, with Jones replacing Salah on the left, but Salah has been selected for his deadly finishing ability. Salah has an astonishing 128 goal contributions (91 goals and 37 assists) in 144 games for Liverpool.
Striker – Divock Origi
With Roberto Firmino only being 33 in 2025, many will question the inclusion of the Belgian in this Xi. Firmino’s role in the current Liverpool team relies on an intensity and dynamism that he will most certainly lose as he ages. For this reason, Divock Origi was selected.
The Belgian is only 24 despite the fact it seems he’s been at Anfield for a lifetime. The former Lille star’s career looked to be over when he was loaned out to Wolfsburg in 2017 but he returned to become the man that has provided many moments for the history books.
Origi has a habit of scoring in the big games. He netted in the famous Europa League tie against Borussia Dortmund. He has also scored multiple times against city rivals Everton, most notably the late winner that came from Jordan Pickfords floundering hands.
And this reputation came to a head last season with his double in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. Calls for a statue in his honour came when the Belgian sealed Liverpool’s sixth Champions League trophy with a cool left footed finish past the helpless Hugo Lloris.
A case can be made for Rhian Brewster, who will be 25 in 2025 but the Belgian gets the nod ahead of the Englishman simply because he has already proved himself on the grandest of stages.
