A club as prestigious as Liverpool always has the next young hotshot just waiting to break through into the first team. Unfortunately, a stacked senior team means there are often fewer first team opportunities, and those chances have become even fewer under Arne Slot.
Liverpool Academy starlet Trent Kone-Doherty is one of those players who came in with plenty of hype, and has managed to produce through the U18, U19, and U21 levels since joining the club as a 16 year old in 2022. Despite his talent,
Kone-Doherty has only managed two senior team appearances for the Reds and has seen fellow youngsters Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison surpass him in the pecking order of wingers vying to push into the first team picture, with 16 year old Josh Abe also snapping on his heels.
With his contract expiring this summer, Kone-Doherty and has ultimately made the decision to move on for senior team minutes. The 19 year old has completed a transfer to Molde FK ahead of the Norwegian Eliteserien season kicking off on March 14. Multiple sources are reporting that the deal is for a fee of €750,000, with Liverpool negotiating in both sell-on and buy-back clauses.
The deal seems to make sense for all side. While Liverpool likely would have loved to have Kone-Doherty sign a new deal and continue playing for the U21s, there doesn’t seem to be a clear path to senior team minutes at the moment and the club get a solid return on a player that likely would have signed somewhere on a free transfer this summer. By retaining sell-on and buy-back clauses, the club could still benefit from Kone-Doherty getting first team minutes and making a jump in levels.
Kone-Doherty spoke about his excitement for the opportunity after signing for Molde. The winger, known for his pace and dynamic foot skills, said he likes to play with a fearlessness that he hopes supporters will appreciate.
“It is the perfect club for me to come to. I like the project I have been presented with here and I am very excited to get started. I am a player who likes to get the fans up from their seats. I always try to express myself on the pitch and be fearless.”
