From rising stars like Curtis Jones to club legends in Leon Osman, the academies of both Liverpool and Everton have been steadily producing talent for years. But how many of these players make it?
According to Transfermarkt, since 1990, 116 players have graduated from either Liverpool or Everton’s academy and have gone on to play senior professional football in the UK or abroad. Liverpool contributed 64 of these and Everton with 52. This figure rivals that of the two Manchester clubs combined, showing the strength of the Merseyside region in producing talent.
The red side of Liverpool has been consistently churning out talent that has gone on to win the game’s biggest prizes. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robbie Fowler are the biggest names to wear the shirts of their boyhood club, collecting trophies along the way.
Curtis Jones is seen by some as the heir to Liverpool’s midfield. He played a vital role in Liverpool’s title winning squad, racking up 1892 minutes – netting on three occasions.
However, it is not only about those who have gone on to represent Liverpool hundreds of times, many players find themselves carving out a thriving career abroad.
Suso and Péter Gulácsi headline this group, with the latter being RB Leipzig’s number 1 in a Champions League semi final.
Suso has gone onto play for likes of AC Milan and Sevilla, winning the Europa League in 2020 and 2023 with the Spanish outfit.
As for the Toffees, Finch Farm has produced many talents, who all embody the spirit of Everton. Household names like Wayne Rooney, Osman and current gems in Anthony Gordon all saw their careers blossom with help from Everton’s academy.
Osman, who made 433 appearances and scored 57 times, spent his whole career with Everton.
Meanwhile, other players have used Finch Farm and their debuts at the senior level to secure big money moves away, showcasing the academy’s reliability when it comes to making a profit.
Gordon, despite being a childhood Liverpool fan, rose through the ranks at Everton quickly becoming a fan favourite and one of the Premier League and England’s brightest stars. This saw him win the European Under-21 Championship Player of the Tournament in 2023 showcasing promise that saw Newcastle splash an initial £45million pounds, rising to £50 million, to secure his services.
Another example of academy success is Rooney. Once hailed as the future of Everton’s attack, his quality at such a young age saw Manchester United pay £25 million in 2004. A 2019 estimate based on football inflation suggests the transfer would cost over £110 million today.
In the 2024/25 season, Liverpool ranked first for minutes given to homegrown players with 6922 minutes (Trent Alexander-Arnold 2,575, Curtis Jones 1,892, Caoimhin Kelleher 1,001, Conor Bradley 846, Jarell Quansah 574, Vitezslav Jaros 18, Jayden Danns 16.)
Across Stanley Park, the Toffees ranked 18th with only 157 minutes handed out (Roman Dixon 98, Harrison Armstrong 58.) This could suggest something of a decline in Everton’s academy production in recent years.
Whilst the rivalry between the red and blue sides divides a city, both clubs remain committed to nurturing the next generation of players. From global stars like Alexander-Arnold and Rooney, to one-club servants like Osman and Gerrard, the data shows that Merseyside’s production line remains one of the most reliable in the country.
