Following their conversation with Michael Edwards, Ben Doak provided an update on Liverpool’s future.

Despite being sidelined with a thigh injury, Ben Doak is one of the Championship’s most

impressive young players this season with three goals and seven assists in 24 games.

His performances for Middlesbrough drew bids from both Crystal Palace and Ipswich during the

winter transfer window, but those offers were turned down. Instead, Doak has been determined to be

“ready to stake a claim” for a spot in Arne Slot’s Liverpool squad ahead of a return for pre-season in the summer.

This followed a fruitful meeting with Edwards, the football CEO, and Ward, the technical director

of the Fenway Sports Group, who visited Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park training facility in December.

Given the magnitude of the transition from under-21 football to the Championship,

James Pearce of The Athletic claims that “senior Anfield figures are delighted with how

Doak has embraced the experience.”

In addition to the player, Edwards and Ward met with Jonathan Woodgate, the first-team

coach and former Liverpool scout, and Michael Carrick, the manager of Middlesbrough.

There was obviously a positive vibe during those meetings because Liverpool was willing to

reject offers of about £16 million the following month. However, it could be argued that later

Anfield briefings suggesting offers of about £30 million would be needed to sign Doak gave

the opposite impression. Nevertheless, Liverpool was content to let their recall clause expire

in late January, guaranteeing the teenager would remain at Middlesbrough for the remainder of the season.