The last 18 months or so certainly haven’t been plain sailing for Liverpool Football Club, with the senior ranks having to deal with a whole host of adversity.

Managerial changes and wasted funds in the market have certainly provided a challenge to navigate in their hunt for continued success in the Premier League.

The Reds were unable to defend their top-flight title last term, which ultimately led to Arne Slot’s departure from Merseyside and saw him be replaced by Andoni Iraola.

The new boss would have loved the opportunity to work with one player who departed Anfield in recent times, with his subsequent move going down awfully with the fanbase.

How Trent's market value has changed since leaving Liverpool

With his contract expiring in the summer of 2025, Liverpool academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold stated his desire to depart his boyhood club for pastures new.

The right-back subsequently agreed to join Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer, which eventually led to the LaLiga side paying £10m to sign him before the 1st of July.

Such a decision proved to disgruntle the supporters on Merseyside, who have since voiced their anger directly to the player after leaving his boyhood outfit.

During the 15 months since his move to Spain, Trent has failed to hit the ground running at the Bernabeu and has only started 16 league games and often struggled for senior minutes.

However, despite his lack of minutes over recent seasons, the right-back has seen his market value skyrocket and showcased why fans were so disappointed to see him depart.

The Englishman is now valued at €60m (£52m) by Transfermarkt, which has seen an increase of £42m on the fee the Reds sold him for a little over a year ago.

His departure undoubtedly hurt more for the fanbase due to his homegrown nature, but it’s just another example of the struggles endured at Anfield in recent times.

How Iraola has struck gold on Liverpool’s next Trent

Liverpool have been known to produce countless academy products throughout the years and the recent injury crisis within Iraola’s squad could hand many more the chance to impress.

Lewis Koumas could well be the beneficiary for this weekend’s clash with Manchester City, as Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak remain sidelined following injuries on international duty.

However, he’s not the only player who could be handed a chance to impress this weekend, with fellow youngster Trey Nyoni another prospect who could become a regular in the manager’s system.

The 19-year-old, who joined from Leicester City in 2023 for £1m, has had to bide his time in the senior ranks and often featured within the club’s academy side.

He’s featured 61 times for various youth levels throughout the last three years, and has since been handed an opportunity by Iraola to feature in the first-team.

Nyoni has often had to rely upon brief cameos to demonstrate his talents, but his showing against Nottingham Forest this season is evidence that he’s capable of being a consistent starter in 2026/27.

The England U21 international completed 90% of the passes he attempted at Anfield that day, whilst also making two tackles and winning 70% of his ground duels.

Such numbers highlight his excellent ability to operate as a box-to-box option at the heart of Iraola’s side - but he’s in desperate need of a consistent run of minutes to showcase his talents.

However, should he receive such minutes in the near future, there’s no reason why he can’t emulate Alexander-Arnold in being a key senior member in the near future.

He may only have featured 24 times for the Reds to date, but it’s been enough to see the midfielder’s market value take a sharp increase over recent months.

Nyoni is now valued at €18m (£16m) by Transfermarkt, with such a figure seeing a 1500% increase on the £1m fee paid for his signature three years ago.

At 19, the midfielder has plenty of time to make his mark on the senior ranks, but his recent performances showcase he’s able to make an immediate impact if needed.

He has all the tools needed to be a key member of Iraola’s squad, which will only increase his chances of being the next academy star to follow in the footsteps of Trent.