Liverpool are close to signing Dara Jikiemi using the Doak formula.

Liverpool are very close to signing young talent Dara Jikiemi from Celtic. At the age of 15, this player, considered a "prodigy," is being pursued by The Kop using the same formula they applied to Ben Doak: early discovery, planned investment, and unwavering commitment to Fenway Sports Group's (FSG) raw talent strategy.

Sources indicate Liverpool are determined to beat Nottingham Forest to bring Jikiemi to Anfield. With the market escalating, pursuing a teenage talent, while the transfer fee remains manageable, is a long-term move and aligns with the club's recruitment philosophy.

The Ben Doak Lesson: A Proven Model

In 2022, Liverpool only paid around £600,000 in training compensation to sign 16-year-old Ben Doak from Celtic. After a few first-team appearances and a loan spell at Middlesbrough, the Scottish winger was sold outright to Bournemouth for a deal worth £25 million (£20 million upfront plus £5 million in add-ons).

It's a clear recruitment-development-commercialization lifecycle: buy early at low cost, develop value through a suitable playing career path, and then realize profits. More importantly, this model optimizes risk in an era of sky-high transfer fees.

Who is Jikiemi in that plan?

Jikiemi has yet to make his Celtic first-team debut but has stood out in the U18 team thanks to his mature playing style. He will turn 16 in January and has captained the Scotland U15 team. Reports indicate Jikiemi has withdrawn from the national youth team's training camp to prepare for his move to Liverpool – a sign that the deal is nearing its final stages.

Why is Liverpool acting now?

FSG's strategy emphasizes a sustainable vision: investing early in potential, creating a controlled development environment in the academy and youth teams. With Jikiemi, the initial cost of a teenage player is often significantly lower than recruiting a talent that has already developed over several years.

If the deal goes through, Jikiemi will join the Liverpool academy – which has produced names like Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler – and is expected to follow a clear career path, rather than immediately facing the pressure of the first team. For The Kop, this is both a sporting solution and a smart financial investment for the future.

Two-way impact: opportunity for Liverpool, disappointment for Celtic.

For Celtic, the story of young talents catching the eye of big clubs is nothing new, but it always leaves a sense of regret as the club wants to see them mature and contribute to the first team before considering economic benefits. Conversely, Liverpool is consolidating its academy-youth-first-team or market value chain, aiming to create further "bargains" following in Doak's footsteps.

Quick comparison: Jikiemi and its "prototype" Doak

Points to watch

Currently, details regarding the structure of the agreement with Jikiemi have not been released. However, Liverpool's accelerated pace and similarities to the Doak deal suggest that The Kop are continuing to bet on the long term: early discovery, proper nurturing, and maximizing value over the next few years.

If the transfer is completed, Jikiemi will have the opportunity to enter Liverpool's youth development ecosystem, where the development path has proven effective. And as seen with Doak, it is precisely this commitment to the plan that gives Liverpool an advantage in this increasingly expensive game.