It is fair to say that it has been a mixed season for Liverpool to date, with the Merseyside outfit currently looking likely to miss out on Champions League qualification, albeit while enjoying recent, statement wins against both Manchester United and Leeds United.
As manager Jurgen Klopp himself has noted, the Reds are in something of a "transition" period, with a squad rebuild perhaps needed to replace their ageing, long-serving stars.
The forward line, in particular, is undergoing something of a refresh with Sadio Mane having departed last summer and with Roberto Firmino set to be on his way at the end of the current campaign – while Mohamed Salah is now into his thirties.
While the club have already moved to strengthen with the recent signings of the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, in the long-term there could also be a chance to promote a handful of exciting young talents from the youth set-up, with Stefan Bajcetic one of the more notable graduates of late.
Another starlet who has also been handed a brief chance to impress at senior level of late is 17-year-old, Ben Doak, with the "explosive winger" – as per talent scout Jacek Kulig – having made five first-team appearances since joining from Celtic last year.
While still early days in his time in England, the young Scot has already caught the attention of key individuals after being dubbed a "huge talent" by journalist Barry Anderson, while club legend Kenny Dalglish lauded the forward as "brilliant" last month.
The hope will be that the devastating talent can be the "future" of the club – as per Kulig – with there a chance for Klopp to fashion an exciting forward partnership in the years to come involving Doak and another teen sensation, Lewis Koumas.
Who is Liverpool's Lewis Koumas?
The young "all-rounder" – as per Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle – had begun life in a midfield berth although is beginning to flourish as a central striker, having scored ten goals in just ten games at Premier League U18 level.
As Doyle suggested, it was a real "statement of intent" for the prolific marksman to be handed a professional contract so soon after turning 17, with Liverpool keen to tie down their emerging superstar.
The £180-per-week ace has clearly been highly-regard by those in the know over an extended period, with his former youth coach Danny Hart having branded him "unreal" when watching the wonderkid on trial, as per The Athletic.
The promising Englishman would certainly be able to receive quality service from the aforementioned Doak if the pair were to be partnered in the first team together in future, with the latter man having been praised for his "good vision" and for "always looking for his teammates", as per Dalglish.
With the former Hoops star offering a "fearless" threat from the flanks – as per Anderson – and with Koumas showcasing his clinical nature through the middle, Liverpool could have their next standout duo on their hands, potentially going on to emulate the current partnership of Firmino and Salah.
Those two experienced figures have been integral to the success of Klopp's side in recent years, with Salah, in particular, leading the way with his devastating ability on the flanks, having scored 182 goals in 297 games for the club to date from his right-sided berth.
Like Doak, the Egyptian is also rather unselfish having provided 74 assists in that time as a marker of his creative flair, dovetailing nicely with Firmino as the latter man has operated in a centre-forward berth.
The Brazil international no doubt possesses similar traits to that of young Koumas, with the senior figure also a real threat in attack having netted 109 times in 306 games for the club, while the two forwards have both impressed due to their stellar work ethic.
In the case of the teen, the highly-rated ace was lauded by journalist Andy Kelly for having "worked his socks off" in one appearance this season, while Firmino has been praised by pundit Gary Neville in the recent past for his "unbelievable" work off the ball.
That should indicate that Koumas is an heir apparent to the departing 31-year-old, while Doak can follow in the footsteps of Salah by wreaking havoc on the flanks – a truly mouthwatering prospect indeed for Klopp and co.