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ACADEMYA quartet of young Reds have signed their first
professional contracts with the club.
Since the Academy season was unanimously curtailed
by the Premier League and EFL, the four have put pen to
paper to turn pro with Liverpool Football Club.
Striker Fidel O’Rourke was the first to do so. The
18-year-old, who has been with the club since Under-14s
level, has progressed to become captain of the Reds’
Under-18s side.
The Scouser scored seven goals in 2019/20 as he
formed a promising partnership with Layton Stewart.
O’Rourke was first handed the captain’s armband by
Barry Lewtas when regular skipper Paul Glatzel was with
the Under-23s. His highlights during 2019/20 included a
goal in the memorable 6-1 win over Everton in the mini-
derby at Finch Farm.
Following suit in agreeing a new deal is 17-year-old
full-back James Norris. The West Derby-born player first
joined the Reds at Under-Nines level and has progressedto become an England youth international.
He began his season with the club’s Under-18s squad
but also went on to make starts with the Under-23s before
making his first-team debut when he came off the bench
against this afternoon’s opponents in the Carabao Cup
quarter-final at Villa Park in December. He was also on the
bench at Anfield when Liverpool’s youngest-ever side won
an FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town in February.
Fellow defender Remi Savage was the third player to turn
professional. The 18-year-old joined the club’s Academy
as an Under-Nines squad member and he was an ever-
present in the league last season, starting all 15 games.
Liverpool-born, he also enjoyed experience with the
Under-19s UEFA Youth League squad and the Under-21s
Leasing.com Trophy side, while also progressing to starts
for the Under-23s.
A composed centre-back who reads the game well, he
can also operate at left back and was part of the club’s
victorious FA Youth Cup squad in 2019.
Most recently, full-back Owen Beck agreed pro terms.
The 17-year-old from Flint in North Wales joined the Reds
from Stoke City as an Under-13s player.
He broke into Liverpool’s Under-18s team during the
2019/20 campaign, playing as a left-back with a licence to
get forward. His highlights included scoring a stoppage-
time winner in
the 3-2 victory
at Southampton
in the Premier
League Cup.
A Wales youth
international, he
was also part
of the club’s
Under-19s squad
for their games in
the UEFA Youth
League.
He will be
hoping to emulate
his great uncle
in playing for the
Reds senior side- a certain Ian
Rush!
QUARTET TURN
PROFESSIONAL
Owen Beck
69
James Norris