Who is Liverpool wonderkid Josh Abe? Age, position, style of play, contract status

When a rival Premier League club reportedly offered a 15-year-old professional terms worth up to £50,000 a week, there were understandable fears that Liverpool could lose another highly rated academy prospect.

However, Josh Abe chose to stay, signing scholarship terms in June alongside a pre-contract agreement for a three-year professional deal that will begin when he turns 17 next July.

The Warrington-born winger has since travelled with the first team on their pre-season tour of the United States, although a shoulder injury in August has put his progress on hold.

As interest in one of Kirkby's brightest prospects continues to grow, FootballWhispers takes a closer look at Abe's background, playing style and the contract that kept him on Merseyside.

Who is Liverpool wonderkid Josh Abe?

Joshua Oluwatobi Abe was born on 17 July 2010 in Warrington, roughly 20 miles east of Liverpool, and has spent almost his entire footballing life on the club's books, having joined Liverpool at the age of four.

A left-footed winger who usually operates on the right, the youngster made his Under-18 debut while still an Under-16 player during the 2025-26 season and quickly began causing problems for older defenders.

Eight goals and three assists followed in 10 Under-18 league appearances, with the highlight coming in February when the teenager scored a hat-trick in Liverpool's 6-1 thrashing of Leeds United at the Kirkby academy. Liverpool's official match report confirms the treble.

That same month brought a piece of history in the UEFA Youth League, as a substitute appearance against MSK Zilina made Abe the youngest player ever to represent Liverpool's Under-19 side.

At 15 years, six months and 17 days, the winger became the youngest Liverpool player to feature in the competition.

By that stage, first-team training under Arne Slot was already part of Abe's development, while international football had provided another platform to show his ability.

Although the teenager has been reported as eligible for Nigeria, England remain the only country he has represented so far.

Unfortunately, injury cut the breakthrough campaign short in March, when a serious injury suffered on England Under-16 duty ruled Abe out for the remainder of the season just as interest from rival clubs was reaching fever pitch. Contemporary reports identify the problem as a knee injury.

Liverpool later handed the academy product a first-team squad number, while Andoni Iraola took the youngster to the United States, where he featured against Sunderland and Wrexham in pre-season friendlies.

The teenager then suffered another setback in August after dislocating his shoulder, an injury which ruled him out of the Under-21s' Premier League 2 opener at Everton. He subsequently underwent surgery on the problem, with a reported absence of around three months.

Josh Abe style of play

Abe is an old-fashioned winger in the best sense, with the teenager wanting the ball at his feet and looking to run directly at his full-back whenever possible.

Liverpool's own description refers to the Warrington-born prospect as a strong and quick player who enjoys taking on defenders, while his ability in one-on-one situations has already made him one of the more watchable youngsters at Kirkby. Operating on the right despite being left-footed naturally gives the winger an opportunity to cut inside onto his stronger foot.

There is more to Abe's game than tricks and dribbles, though, with his work without the ball also providing an encouraging sign during pre-season.

Inside the academy, staff have reportedly compared the 15-year-old with Sadio Mane, while his former Under-18 coach Simon Wiles has highlighted Abe's ability to come inside and find the back of the net.

However, fitness is an obvious concern for the Warrington-born winger after two injury setbacks in 2026, with his latest shoulder problem requiring surgery.

There is still plenty for Abe to learn as he adjusts to stronger opposition, but his progress into the Under-21 setup should provide another useful test of his development. He marked his first U21 appearance by scoring in a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield on August 8.

Josh Abe contract status

Abe's contract situation dominated much of Liverpool's academy news in 2026, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all linked with the winger.

The teenager also visited Real Madrid during the summer, where he was pictured with Vinicius Jr, but ultimately chose to remain on Merseyside.

The reported £50,000-a-week offer from a rival highlighted the scale of the competition Liverpool faced to retain one of their brightest academy prospects, with reports putting some rival offers at more than £50,000 a week.

Abe and his family ultimately decided that Liverpool's pathway was the best option for his development, with the club having already provided opportunities to train with the first team before he made the senior pre-season tour.

Scholarship terms were signed in early June, with a pre-contract agreement in place for a three-year professional deal starting when he turns 17 in July 2027, and the youngster has since been given the number 40 shirt.