Yasser Larouci (Getty Images)
According to claims from Inside Futbol (h/t Mirror), young Liverpool left-back Yasser Larouci has emerged as a target for Greek heavyweights Olympiacos, with the teenager currently surplus to requirements at Anfield.
The Reds successfully raided Olympiacos for Kostas Tsimikas earlier in the summer and the Greek giants have now set their sights on the 19-year-old starlet as a potential replacement. (Inside Futbol h/t Mirror)
As per the report, Larouci, who made his first-team debut for Jurgen Klopp’s side last season is unlikely to be offered an extension on his current deal at Anfield that expires next summer.
Born in Algeria, Yasser Larouci migrated to France at a young age and started his footballing education in the youth ranks of Le Havre, where he captained the club’s U-17 side. The left-back became a free agent after rejecting a new deal at the French club and was subsequently snapped up by Liverpool in 2017.
Larouci initially trained as a winger in the Reds’ youth ranks but was eventually converted into an attacking full-back. The highly-rated teenager impressed at U-18 and U-23 levels while he was a key part of the squad that lifted the 2019 FA Youth Cup by beating Man City in the final.
The 19-year-old featured extensively during Liverpool’s pre-season campaign last summer and was handed his first-team debut in the FA Cup third-round tie against Everton back in January 2020. Larouci has featured twice for the Reds at the senior level so far.
Liverpool currently have Andy Robertson as an undisputed starter at left-back, with summer signing Kostas Tsimikas as the Scotsman’s understudy. The impressive emergence of academy graduate Neco Williams has pushed Yasser Larouci further down the pecking order.
Robertson’s unwavering consistency and his importance to the team, both in terms of defence and attack, mean that there is very little room for rotation in that department. Larouci, to that end, is currently in danger of finding his development restricted to the youth ranks at Anfield, with very slim prospects of senior football.
The 19-year-old needs more exposure at the highest level if he is to make a gradual transition from the academy to the senior circuit. That seems unlikely to happen at Liverpool and it wouldn’t make any sense for the Reds to stand in the way of his development.
Larouci certainly seems to have a greater likelihood of finding a quicker route to first-team football at Olympiacos, meaning a move to Greece would be in the best interests of all parties involved. Also, Liverpool would surely want to bag a fee for the youngster after investing in his development in the academy. That would be more sensible than allowing him to walk away on a free transfer next summer.
Liverpool already have plenty of talented young defenders coming through their academy ranks. Yasser Larouci is nearing a stage in his career where he is bound to push for regular first-team minutes, something that Klopp will find extremely hard to deal with given such stiff competition for places at left-back.
Having said that, Liverpool cashing in on the Algerian starlet would be a fair settlement for all parties involved.