Who is Liverpool’s new teenage sensation Emeka Obi as manager Jurgen Klopp just absolutely loves to sign talent for the future
15 year old Emeka Obi signed for Liverpool yesterday from League One outfit Bury and he is said to be the best teenager in the country
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JURGEN Klopp has confirmed his love of nurturing raw talent by signing 15-year-old Emeka Obi - dubbed the best schoolboy footballer in England.
At 6ft 5 already Obi has the potential to be a colossal at the back and now has the privilege to finish his education under a manager who will relish the chance to help him develop.
Obi joined Bury two years ago, and while he rapidly became known to scouts in the Premier League, Liverpool were the first to pounce.
Obi became the youngest player to play for Bury in the team's 4-1 win over Morecambe in the Checkatrade Trophy at the age of just 15 years and 86 days .
Stoke City, whose development squad is also in Bury's group in the tournament where Obi made his debut, were said to be interested and even gave him a trial in the summer.
Obi is incredibly tall for his age and has been described by Bury boss David Flitcroft as a ''man mountain''.
Flitcroft also added that Obi is “the best talent right now at 15 years old in the entire country”.
With the physique that most Premier League defenders would dream of already, Obi certainly has all the ingredients to be the future of Liverpool's defence.
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Today Obi all but confirmed his move to Anfield on his Twitter account whilst also removing any evidence that he could possibly be a Manchester United fan.
Premier League clubs are taking a serious interest in the lower leagues with hidden gems emerging in many clubs.
Perhaps the idea of unearthing unheard of teenagers comes from the rise of the likes of Jamie Vardy, who was rejected by Sheffield Wednesday and cut his teeth in non-league football before winning the Premier League with Leicester City last season.
Dele Alli was plucked from under Liverpool's noses by Tottenham when they singed the 20-year-old from MK Dons in 2015.
The beauty of signing players such as Obi and Alli comes from them already having played at a level that is far more physical than the Premier League.
It's a good grounding and being educated at a level where games can become a real battle at times will hold players like Obi in good stead.
There is always an underlying tone that players in Premier League academies are on a bit of a pedestall and are looked after just as well as the first team.
Then when it comes to progressing to men's football with a limited amount of competitive football on offer in the top flight development leagues, the next generation can sometimes be found wanting.
Finding young top quality players of Obi's talent in the lower divisions in English football bodes well for the future of the game.
It's important now that Liverpool get his final education spot on and that he is not pressured into something completely overwhelming.
However, with Klopp in charge they have a manager that loves to nurture the future, meaning Liverpool are in very good hands indeed.