Top Talent Back With National Team’s U17s After Liverpool Move | OneFootball

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Liverpool’s young signing Samuel Martinez is back in Colombia, training with the Under-17 national team ahead of friendly games.

Martinez, 17, has caught the eye with his performances at youth level in his native Colombia, where he was on the books at Atletico Nacional.

He was part of the Colombia side that won the Under-17 South American Championship earlier this year.

Martinez capped off an impressive tournament by scoring in Colombia’s final three matches, including the final against Argentina, helping his side lift the trophy.

A number of top European clubs were interested in the midfielder, with Tottenham Hotspur heavily linked and Borussia Dortmund also impressed by what their scouts saw.

However, Liverpool swooped for the 17-year-old, outbidding other European giants and securing the young talent until 2031.

Due to FIFA rules, Martinez is set to stay at Atletico Nacional for one more year and will join the Reds ahead of the 2027/28 season.

According to Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra, Martinez is already back in Colombia, training with the Under-17 national team ahead of their friendlies.

Liverpool will now rely on Atletico Nacional to oversee the final stage of Martinez’s development before he makes the move to Merseyside.

It remains to be seen how long Liverpool intend to keep the midfielder within their youth set-up, though Rio Ngumoha’s rapid progress is likely to have caught Martinez’s attention.

Meanwhile in the transfer market, Sporting Lisbon are determined to keep Liverpool target Geny Catamo at the club and are prepared to do everything possible to ward off interest, handing the Reds a major obstacle in their pursuit of the winger.