19 year old Liverpool midfielder Afolami Onanuga trained with the first‑team squad of Liverpool ahead of the trip to Turkey for the UEFA Champions League round of 17 game against Galatasaray, offering a glimpse of another highly rated youngster edging closer to the senior picture.
Onanuga, nicknamed “Fola”, is a 19‑year‑old box‑to‑box midfielder who signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in November 2023 after progressing through the academy since joining as an under‑11 from grassroots football in Manchester.
Despite training with the first team, Onanuga failed to make the final in 21-man sqaud that travelled for the game later today.
The Nigerian‑born, England‑eligible prospect has been a standout for Marc Bridge‑Wilkinson’s under‑18s, known for carrying the ball forward, linking play and affecting games in the final third, and he has already made the step up to feature for the under‑21s.
As for his international future, a source close to the player revealed his outmost desire is to play for the senior national team of Nigeria, due to his strong Nigerian heritage.
” I spoke about him when he (Fola) signed his contract in 2023 and it’s still the same desire to play for Nigeria. However the focus now is on making the first team of Liverpool before any talks of international football”, he said.
