Young Liverpool forward Joshua Sonnie-Lambie has signed his first professional contract with the Reds. The 17-year-old joined the Academy set-up when he was 14 having been scouted while playing for his grassroots team in London.

A No. 9 blessed with great pace and an eye for goal, Sonnie-Lambie has been a regular at the U18 level this season under Marc Bridge-Wilkinson. He has made 13 appearances so far this season, scoring five times, and assisting a further two goals for his teammates.

Last season, when Sonnie-Lambie was just 16, he was already playing for the U18s age group. He got his first goal at that level on the final day of the season in a game against Derby County.

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Liverpool has continued the trend established by Jurgen Klopp of bringing through its best young talents to the first team on a regular basis. Arne Slot started 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha in the previous round of the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley while Jayden Danns, who has since joined Sunderland on loan, came off the bench to find the back of the net.

In the Champions League dead rubber against PSV, Slot played Danns up front and James McConnell in midfield and took a youthful group of players, including Trent Kone-Doherty and Kieran Morrison. Some of those players could be involved again at the weekend with the trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup fourth round.

Liverpool.com says: It is really important that young players continue to be given chances at senior level for Liverpool. That is why the likes of Ngumoha have chosen to move to Merseyside and why the next big thing might well do too. Slot has carried that on so far in his tenure at Anfield and even if a lot of players won't make it long-term, they will generate a lot of money for the club.