Liverpool’s iconic number seven shirt carries a weight that few players in world football truly understand, having been worn by some of the game’s greatest talents.
From the late Kevin Keegan to Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suarez, the jersey has represented the very best of what Liverpool can offer across generations.
Current holder Florian Wirtz has found that weight difficult to manage, with the £116m German struggling to justify his enormous price tag since arriving at Anfield.
Wirtz has scored and assisted just eight Premier League goals in his debut campaign, a return well below the standards he set during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
His predecessor Luis Diaz, now at Bayern Munich, scored and assisted 18 goals during Liverpool’s 2024/25 title-winning season, setting a benchmark Wirtz has so far fallen well short of.
Club legend Jamie Carragher publicly suggested following the narrow win over Bournemouth that Wirtz should not currently be in the starting lineup based on his recent form.
Manager Andoni Iraola has persisted with the 23-year-old, but a return of just one assist from five Premier League starts this season makes for uncomfortable reading at Anfield.
Liverpool’s lack of depth in the number ten role has been compounded by Harvey Elliott being sent out on loan again, leaving Iraola with limited alternatives in that position.
Iraola has already turned to academy products including Trey Nyoni, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas in recent weeks, signalling a willingness to trust younger players when needed.
The next talent hoping to follow that path is 17-year-old Erik Farkas, who only recently signed his first professional terms at Liverpool and has quickly caught the attention of those watching closely.
Born in Hungary but representing England at youth level, Farkas has been praised by journalist Bence Bocsak as “one of the most unique profiles in English football.”
Bocsak has also described the teenager as “an ideal No.10 profile,” a description that places him in direct competition with Wirtz for that advanced midfield role long term.
Farkas has backed up that reputation with an impressive start to the current campaign, scoring in each of Liverpool’s last three U18 Premier League matches while also adding an assist.
His last two outings came against Burnley and Derby, with the youngster operating in that more advanced berth and demonstrating the versatility to play equally well as a number eight or number ten.
If Wirtz cannot find his best form soon, Liverpool may find that their next great number seven is already developing quietly within their own academy walls.