Liverpool striker Jayden Danns is now making rapid progress through the youth ranks during a campaign in which he has scored 17 goals, or one every 71 minutes.
Danns will only turn 18 on Tuesday, but the Scouse striker will take on a bigger role with Liverpool U21s in the second half of the season.
The teenager, son of former Premier League midfielder Neil Danns, began the campaign as a key man in his third year with the under-18s.
He finished the year with 15 goals in 13 games for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side, signing off with a last-minute winner in a double against Fleetwood in the FA Youth Cup, and is now hitting his stride.
On Saturday, both the U18s and U21s played their first league games of 2024, with Danns being excluded from the younger age group while traveling with the U21s to Brighton.
Making his first start in that 4-2 defeat, it took Danns just 13 minutes to score his first competitive goal at under-21 level.
That took his tally for the season to 17 goals in 16 appearances, having also scored off the bench for Barry Lewtas’s side in a 2-1 defeat to Monaco in September.
In addition to two official assists, Danns is averaging a goal or assist every 63.2 minutes this season and a goal every 70.7 minutes.
Their participation at the weekend comes after the sale of Paul Glatzel to Swindon, and with the absence of players such as Mateusz Musialowski, Melkamu Frauendorf and Tom Hill.
Hill sprained his ankle in the 3-1 defeat to Athletic Club in midweek, but the captain has already admitted he is open to a loan move in January, while it would not be a surprise if Liverpool harbored an interest in Musialowski and Frauendorf.
Similarly, clubs in England, Denmark and Belgium are weighing up the loan of Harvey Blair, with the likelihood of a shake-up in the academy.
?Jayden Danns (17) scored in his first start for the #LFC U21 on Saturday. Incredible stats this season.
? 16 games??? 17 goals?? 2 assists? 63.2 minutes per G/A
It is not surprising that it is being accelerated after the departure of Paul Glatzel. pic.twitter.com/Q7VjgiuBNL
– Jack Lusby (@LusbyJack) January 14, 2024
Danns is expected to benefit from this as the tall and versatile striker is likely to be promoted to a regular starting role with the under-21 team from now on.
It would certainly be deserved, as Danns’ all-round game developed alongside his prolific form in front of goal, showing strong signs in his work rate without the ball and his movement, holding play and creativity with it.
Liverpool U21 will not play again until the end of the month, with Fulham visiting on January 28.
Danns, however, could be included in a strong U18 squad when they host Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup fourth round on January 20.
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