There is plenty of excitement surrounding Ben Doak - and not just from Liverpool.
The 19-year-old has had plenty of eyes on him from the moment he made the move to Anfield from Celtic in 2022. Fans have already been dazzled by his meteoric rise, having forced himself into Jurgen Klopp’s thinking in no time at all, while no time has been wasted in getting him into Scotland’s senior setup, where he has only furthered his burgeoning reputation.
The last 18 months at Liverpool have been challenging though. Injury hampered his progression last season, and when he did play during the early stages of the Europa League, it was clear that the teenager was still firmly a work in progress.
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With Arne Slot taking the reins from Klopp during the summer, the decision was made that the next best step for Doak would be away from Merseyside, leading to a loan move to Championship side Middlesbrough. He has continued to make a big impression in the north-east, although the potential for a permanent move elsewhere rather unexpectedly raised its head during the January window.
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick seemed determined to keep hold of the winger as Liverpool batted away $18.7m (£15m/€18m) and $20m (£16m/€19.2m) from Crystal Palace and Ipswich. In the end, the deadline for Doak to be recalled in order to facilitate a permanent exit passed, giving an early signal of the Reds’ plans for Doak.
And those plans now look to have been made very clear, with The Athletic suggesting the young Scot could be in for a big year next season back at Liverpool. The report claims the club is delighted with Doak’s progress at Middlesbrough, and believes he can become a part of Slot’s first-team next season.
For now, Doak will have to focus on getting himself back in action for Middlesbrough, with the teenager facing a spell on the sidelines. Carrick confirmed on Monday that he had picked up a thigh problem during training, which comes at a bad time for Boro as they chase a play-off place in the Championship.
“It won’t be a few days, it will be longer,” Carrick explained. “Probably weeks, not ages but yeah, it won’t be days.”
