Liverpool are currently in talks to sign West Ham United academy defender Amara Nallo, according to a report from This Is Anfield.

It is unclear how much Nallo will cost the Reds – however, given his status as a contracted youth player at West Ham, the Hammers could demand a large sum for his signature.

How does Nallo compare to the other young defenders at Liverpool?

Liverpool currently have three natural centre-backs in their U21s team – Billy Koumetio, Jarell Quansah and Lee Jonas. Of the three, Koumetio has shown the brightest potential – he enjoyed a decent loan spell at Austria Vienna last season, but only made five appearances during that time.

None of the three are touted as ‘wonderkids’ or young stars who will set the world alight in a few years – but given the incredibly high standard of Liverpool’s academy, they will all have great potential in the modern game.

All three are between the ages of 19 and 20 – as such, they are all at least three years older than Nallo and therefore will be closer to a first-team opportunity.

Jurgen Klopp has displayed previously that he is more than willing to give youngsters a chance in the first team. A success story of this philosophy comes in the form of Stefan Bajcetic, who has proven to be a wonderful midfield asset since his promotion to the senior squad.

Would Nallo have a chance of breaking into the first team?

At the age of just 16, Nallo would struggle to break into the first team at this stage in his career. However, of course, the Reds have the future in mind for this young man.

With players such as Virgil Van Dijk Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez occupying the senior squad, it seems unlikely that Nallo will receive even a few minutes of first team football next season.

Nevertheless, Liverpool are currently entering something of a transitional phase. Van Dijk and Matip are not getting any younger, while Gomez and Konate have not been as impressive as Reds fans hoped they might be.

Due to this, Nallo’s time in the first team should come in due time. However, he will have to remain patient – in the meantime, the best thing he can do is focus on his development and ensure that he is ready if the time comes.