Third Manchester City talent swaps Etihad Stadium for Anfield with Liverpool transfer | OneFootball

Manchester City have now seen a third talent in less than a year swap their City Football Academy project for Liverpool and Anfield.

It marks the latest example of the ongoing youth rivalry between the two Premier League powerhouses, with Liverpool targeting Manchester City’s youth set-up for recruitment opportunities.

The Reds have made significant inroads into the Etihad Stadium’s development ranks since late 2024, identifying several players whose pathways towards senior football were perhaps becoming increasingly blocked.

The departures underline the scale of Manchester City’s Academy output, as well as the difficulty the club faces in keeping all of their promising players engaged amid limited opportunities at first-team level.

Over the last 18 months, the Premier League giants have sanctioned multiple sales, loans, and academy exits as part of their broader development restructuring, with a focus on reinvestment into global youth scouting.

Liverpool have been quick to take advantage, with their recent acquisitions of Lucas Clarke in December 2024 and Lucas Alford earlier this summer both coming directly from the Manchester City system and now, a third name has followed the same route.

Confirming the transfer on his social media channels, Under-15 goalkeeper Alfie Dooley has left Manchester City and signed a contract with Liverpool, bringing an end to a nine-year stay at the City Football Academy.

In a statement on his Instagram, Dooley said of his Etihad Stadium exit, “All good things come to an end. The end is new beginnings.

“After nine years at City my journey has sadly come to an end. Memories made and won’t be forgotten. Good luck to all my teammates in the future.”

And announcing his signing at Anfield this week, accompanied by a photo penning his contract on Merseyside, the teenager wrote, “Happy to have signed for Liverpool.”

Dooley’s move continues a quiet battle between the two clubs’ youth recruitment teams. While City remain a dominant force in youth football, their model often results in early exits for younger age-group players seeking faster progression.

Liverpool, by contrast, appear to have pitched a more streamlined development pathway under their current academy structure, with several recent graduates featuring at first-team level in domestic cups.

Looking ahead, City are expected to continue expanding their scouting reach to offset any future academy losses. Officials have already sanctioned aggressive investment across Europe and South America, remaining confident that their elite environment of facilities, coaching, and global CFG loan opportunities being among the best in world football.

Nevertheless, the departures of Clarke, Alford, and now Dooley to Liverpool illustrate how competitive the youth development landscape has become between England’s elite.