Liverpool scouts have watched World Cup starlet whose ‘courage’ impressed Zlatan Ibrahimovic | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly among numerous clubs to have dispatched scouts to watch a teenage defender who caught the eye at the 2026 World Cup.

FSG have implemented a clear strategy to invest in long-term potential at centre-back, with several young signings in that position over the past year, including Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet for the first team, and the likes of Dara Jikiemi and Mor Talla Ndiaye for the academy.

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The defensive recruitment drive mightn’t have finished, either, judging by a report which has emerged on Wednesday afternoon.

Liverpool scouts have watched Lucas Herrington

According to Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk, Liverpool are among several Premier League clubs to have assigned scouts to keep a close watch on Lucas Herrington, who plays for Colorado Rapids in MLS and represented Australia at this year’s World Cup.

‘Intermediaries working on behalf of’ the 18-year-old are currently involved in discussions with a wide range of prospective suitors throughout England and Europe, ranging from elite names such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich, to more humble prospective destinations like Union Saint-Gilloise.

The teenager has been with Colorado for less than six months (having joined from Brisbane Roar in the winter), but the Rapids are open to an arragement which’d see him remain in the United States for another year before then moving to Europe.

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Herrington has already shown great ‘courage’ at a high level

Herrington started Australia’s last two matches at the World Cup, cruelly missing a penalty in the shootout loss to Egypt in the round of 32, after which Zlatan Ibrahimovic told him in a classy public message that he showed ‘a lot of courage’ to step up for his country in such a high-stakes situation.

The teenager has played fewer than 50 senior club games but, in addition to impressing on the world stage, has also been a consistent performer for Colorado, with the figures below (via Fotmob) showing how he’s compared with other centre-backs in the 2026 MLS season so far.

The idea of allowing him to continue his upwardly mobile development with the Rapids for another year before then coming to Europe could be perfect for Liverpool, with the youngster probably not quite yet ready for such a significant step-up in quality.

How Herrington responds to his World Cup penalty heartbreak will tell us a lot about his strength of character, although that quality was already demonstrated by him stepping forward to take a spot kick against Egypt in the first place despite his tender age.

The public support from Ibrahimovic must surely come as a huge morale boost for the Australian, who appears to have an incredibly bright future in the game judging by the extent of the interest in him across England and Europe.