Manchester City midfielder announces own transfer to Liverpool FC

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Deals between two fierce Premier League rivals like Liverpool and Manchester City are almost unheard of, particularly given their decade-long battle for domestic supremacy.

Since the 2017/18 campaign, no team outside of Liverpool or City has lifted the Premier League trophy.

The last high-profile example remains Raheem Sterling’s move from Liverpool to City in 2015 – since then, no senior player has made a direct switch between the two giants.

This context made last summer’s discussions over a prospective Luis Diaz-Julian Alvarez swap all the more remarkable.

With Diaz expressing a desire to join Manchester City after hearing of their interest, Liverpool’s recruitment team – including Michael Edwards, Richard Hughes, and Arne Slot – floated the idea of sending the Colombian to the Etihad in exchange for City’s versatile Argentine striker Alvarez.

However, City responded decisively according to the Telegraph, making their position clear: “We don’t sell to rivals.” Liverpool, in turn, matched that stance, and the dramatic proposal fizzled out before talks could gain any traction.

But while senior transfers are rare, an academy player has announced his move from the Etihad to Anfield.

Taking to Instagram, 16-year-old midfielder Lucas Alford confirmed his switch, posing for the cameras at the AXA Training Centre as he ceremoniously signed his contract:

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He captioned the post: “Delighted to sign for Liverpool FC hopefully some great memories to come.”

Alford will slot into Liverpool’s U16 squad at the Kirkby Academy, joining a group that already features promising talents such as Joshua Abe, Erik Farkas and Vincent Joseph.

Equally comfortable as a holding midfielder or as a box-to-box No

8, he earned plaudits for his tactical adaptability and leadership during his time at the Etihad, impressing onlookers at several national youth tournaments over the past year.

The signing continues a recent trend of Liverpool successfully recruiting emerging prospects from their fiercest rivals, following last year’s acquisition of defender Lucas Clarke from City, who has since moved into the U18 setup.

With Liverpool’s established pathway from academy to first team – exemplified by graduates like Curtis Jones and Conor Bradley – Alford arrives in Merseyside eager to emulate their progress

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