Liverpool completed a memorable season with only their second-ever Premier League title but could be set to lose one of their attackers after rumours of interest from one of their biggest rivals.
Young Scottish winger Ben Doak spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Championship side Middlesborough, where he impressed under the management of former England midfielder Michael Carrick, and has now been linked with a move to Merseyside rivals Everton.
The teenager has only made 10 appearances for the Reds since joining in 2022 and rumours have now emerged that he may leave for the blue side of the city, as reported by Sky Sports News.
Everton interested in Doak
The news that David Moyes’ side are interested in the 19-year-old comes at the start of a big summer for both them and Liverpool, as both teams attempt to reshape their squads.
The Toffees are in need of a major rebuild, with nine first-team players’ contracts expiring and a further four loan players returning to their parent clubs.
On the other hand, Liverpool have already set about revamping their team with reported moves for attackers Florian Wirtz and Anthony Gordon, as well as already having signed defender Jeremie Frimpong as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s replacement.
Deals for Wirtz and Gordon could spell the end to Doak’s time at Anfield, with the former Celtic youngster already behind Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott in the pecking order.
Doak’s season in the Championship
The winger was sent out on loan to second-tier Middlesborough at the end of last August in order to gain regular first-team football and the Scot, who made his senior international debut just six days after joining the North East side, impressed for Boro as they finished four points off the play-off positions.
He scored three goals in 24 league appearances, as well as picking up seven assists, including five alone in November, which helped him to win the EFL Young Player of the Month award.
However, his time under Carrick was cut short due to a thigh injury he suffered at the beginning of March, which required surgery and ruled him out of their final 17 games of the season.
He signed a ‘long-term’ contract at Liverpool in September 2023, but as he was only 17 at the time, the club were only able to give him a maximum three-year deal.
Thus, he is expected to become a free agent next summer, meaning that Everton may be able to sign him for a relatively low fee, although being rivals with the Reds may mean that they would be forced to pay more than other clubs.
Is he ready for the Premier League?
After reaching 10 goals and assists this season in the Championship, having missed a large part of the season and still being a teenager, Doak may feel it is time that he is given regular minutes in the top flight.
Moyes may also be one of the best managers for him to work under in order to develop himself and produce regular output against world-class defenders.
The former Manchester United and West Ham United manager has already helped 25-year-old Iliman Ndiaye to flourish, with the Senegalese attacker scoring six goals in 14 Premier League games since the Scot returned as manager.
Having Doak on the opposite winger to Ndiaye would give the Toffees extra pace and energy as they look to replace ageing players from their squad, and he could be one of their star signings as they aim to fight off the relegations fears of recent years and battle for European football.
The arrival of a Liverpool player may not please some Evertonians for obvious reasons, but if the attacker played a key role in the club rising up the table then it would be hard for them to not fall in love with him.
