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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE teenage football sensation, Isaac Mabaya, has signed his first professional contract with English Premiership giants Liverpool.
The 17-year-old, from Preston, has been attending the Academy, since the age of six.
Mabaya broke into the Under-18s team last season, as a 16-year-old, and was initially deployed as a wide midfielder.
A switch mid-season saw him move to full-back, where his ability to sweep forward as an attacking option has been impressive, and he has played at right-back for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s Under-18s, this term.
Mabaya has also enjoyed England recognition at Under-15 and Under-16 levels.
He is billed to follow in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold, after making considerable progress, in the age-group sides of Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold famously switched from midfield, to become Jurgen Klopp’s first choice right-back, in recent seasons.
Bridge-Wilkinson told the Liverpool Echo last year that he has been impressed by the progress made by Mabaya.
“It’s something we have been looking at in training, so we felt it was right to give Isaac a go,” Bridge-Wilkinson said.
“I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve worked with Isaac for the last two years or so, on and off.
“I know an awful lot about him, his game and his character. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s capable of playing at this level.”
Mabaya signed his first contract at Liverpool, at the age of eight, in 2013.
He can still switch allegiance to Zimbabwe, in the future, as he qualifies through his parents.
The teenager’s father, David, worked as a pharmacist at United Bulawayo Hospitals up to 2000, before relocating to England.
They hail from Mutare.
Mabaya, who idolises former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, has also been following Zimbabwean football closely.
England-based former Zimbabwe footballer, Charlie White, has already urged ZIFA to keep track of the exciting teenager.
“Isaac, who has been following the exploits of Marvelous Nakamba, Khama Billiat, Marshall Munetsi, Knowledge Musona and Tino Kadewere, could be a coup for the Zimbabwe national team Under-17.
“Able to play as a winger or wingback, I watched him play as a linkman and I can say I have seen another Seth Patrick, who practically dominates the midfield.
“That is what we need in our national team — players with guts, skill and intelligence.
“He played for England Under-15 on April 27th, 2019, at age 14, and later in August, for the Under-16, at age 14 years and 11 months.
“Isaac has expressed his willingness to play for Zimbabwe. He can change as he is under the age stipulated by FIFA,” said White.
The Liverpool senior team recently opened the doors to Academy graduates Rhys Williams, Neco Williams and Curtis Jones.
Jones, in particular, has been impressive, in the first team, for the Reds.
Klopp heaped praise upon Jones after the young midfielder’s influential performance against FC Porto, in a Champions League match, in Portugal on Tuesday night.
Jones also scored a superb goal, in Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw at Brentford.
“Curtis played a good game. He had some problems a little bit with the stomach before the game; they told me I need to keep an eye on him but I told him after the game whatever it is, keep it because it was really a good game,” Klopp said in his post-Porto press conference.
“He played a really good game, he was everywhere, he was involved in everything. Set up the first goal with a surprising finish, goalie cannot save it.
“In a lot of other situations he was really there — maybe not as spectacular as the offensive stuff, but defensively he played a top-class game. “He defended really well, pressed from the blind side, a lot of things I liked a lot about his performance tonight. So, let’s keep going, Curtis, it was not bad tonight.”
Online Reporter