Who is Kaide Gordon? The £3m Liverpool youngster hailed a ‘great talent’ by Virgil van Dijk profiled

Kaide Gordon has been impressing during Liverpool’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

The teenager continues to train with Jurgen Klopp’s side ahead of the start of the upcoming Premier League season and has already won over one of the Reds’ most high-profile players.

What’s been said?

In an interview with Liverpool’s club website, Virgil van Dijk discussed his return from his long-term knee injury.

While discussing the Reds’ training camp, he mentioned how it was nice to see some of the youngsters around.

And, in particular, he singled out Gordon for praise.

Van Dijk said: “It’s always nice to see the young boys being lifted and coming out of their shells and stuff.

“Kaide Gordon, who is 16-years-old, is coming out of his shell, he is training well and is a great talent. It is fun to see and we need everyone, whether you are a chef or the new kit man, we need everyone to perform. I appreciate all of them.”

Who is Kaide Gordon?

Gordon is 16 years old and currently a first-year scholar in Liverpool’s academy.

Where does he play?

Gordon is a left-footed winger but prefers to play on the right-hand side. He’s direct and relishes attacking defences at any opportunity. He’s also capable of playing a central attacking role.

What’s his background?

Gordon came through Derby County’s academy, having joined at under-nine level.

Last season, he was a regular for the Rams’ under-18s despite only being of schoolboy age. He bagged a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers.

His impressive performances saw him break into Derby’s first team midway through the campaign. Gordon was handed his debut by Wayne Rooney in a 4-0 Championship victory over Birmingham on December 29.

Doing so, he became the Rams’ fourth-youngest player in the club’s history.

The teenager was then an unused substitute for games against Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth before Liverpool swooped for him.

How much did Liverpool pay for him?

Reports suggest that Liverpool splashed out an initial £1m for Gordon, although that could rise to £3m with add-ons.

How has his Anfield career fared so far?

Gordon hit the ground running in the Reds’ youth ranks.

For the under-18s, he fired doubles in defeats of Wolves and Leeds before also scoring in wins over Middlesbrough and his former club Derby.

Gordon was then promoted to the under-23s for their final game of their Premier League 2 season against Leicester.

Again, he came to the fore and netted a late goal to round off a 2-0 victory.

How has he fared in pre-season?

Gordon has certainly caught the eye while training with Klopp’s side.

In a 30-minute mini-game against Austrian second-tier side FC Wacker, the youngster made a sound impression.

He did so again when featuring for 45 minutes against Bundesliga outfit Mainz. In that game, he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Curtis Jones, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino.

Gordon has represented England at both under-15 and under-16 level.

He scored for the under-15s in a 2-1 victory over Norway at St George’s Park in October 2019.