Done deal: Huddersfield beat Liverpool to the signing of English wonderkid

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Huddersfield have completed the signing of Port Vale winger Luke Daley, who had been a rumoured target for Liverpool.

The 16-year-old has spent the last eight years on the books at Vale Park, rising through the youth ranks under academy boss Sevvy Aslam.

According to The Examiner, Liverpool were interested in the English wonderkid, but Huddersfield have beaten the Anfield outfit to his signature this week.

Daley, who had also emerged as a target for Southampton, was offered a deal to stay at Port Vale, but he ultimately decided to continue his development with the Terriers.

The Examiner reports that the teenager will go straight into Huddersfield’s U-17 set up, which is run by Jon Worthington, with the opportunity to sign a professional contract waiting for him in 2021.

Aslam, who nurtured Daley’s talent at Vale Park, has admitted he is sad to see the promising attacker leave but accepts his unique skill set was always going to attract potential suitors.

“Luke is a lad from Liverpool,” Aslam told StokeonTrentLive, as per The Examiner.

“He came in on trial at eight years old and we signed him as an under nine. Fast forward eight years to Under 16s and we have just offered him a scholarship.

“We had heard what clubs were interested in him. He would attract the attention because he is a winger that gets you on the edge of your seat because he loves taking players on and then he has a good delivery.

Luke Daley has completed a switch to Huddersfield

“So, whenever the ball comes to him he lights the place up, you lean forward to see what he is going to do next. He is that type of player.

“He is a left winger, left-footed. they are in demand as they are probably at most clubs.

“We had interest from Huddersfield and while that was going on, we had interest from Southampton and Liverpool.

“He has decided to stick with Huddersfield. He is a lovely lad and we are sad to see him go.”

To miss out on such an exciting young player will be a blow for Liverpool, but Daley might progress quicker at a lower level club before potentially making a step up in a few years time.

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