Jordan Ibe Hopes to Be Liverpool’s Next Breakout Star

Liverpool youngster Jordan Ibe hopes that his impressive performances during pre-season will hold him in good stead as he looks to become a regular member of the first team squad under Brendan Rodgers.

The 17 year old was handed his Premier League debut in the final game of last season against Queens Park Rangers and has since been handed the chance to impress on Liverpool's tour of Asia and Australia.

Ibe excelled in a short cameo appearance against an Indonesian XI in Jakarta last week and was then handed a start against Melbourne Victory on Wednesday in what was another lively performance full of explosive pace and trickery.

The young winger helped Liverpool secure a 2-0 win at the famous MCG in Melbourne and he is now hoping that his performances in pre-season will persuade Rodgers to give him more opportunities in the first team next season.

"I feel I'm doing ok. I'm trying to learn from the senior players and the new lads that have come in," Ibe told the Liverpool Echo. "Hopefully I can take it into the new season and stay consistent.

"It was a big boost to make my first team debut against Queens Park Rangers at Anfield on the final day of last season.

"To play in the Premier League, and on such a big occasion with it being Jamie Carragher's final match before retirement, was a great experience for me.

"I felt really good about it and hopefully I can take that into the new season."

The former Wycombe Wanderers youth player excelled while representing Liverpool in the NextGen competition last season, whilst also regularly featuring for the Under-21 side despite his young age.

Blessed with natural pace and with the skill to beat players he has drawn comparisons to Raheem Sterling who similarly impressed Rodgers last summer with his performances and went on to make some 26 appearances in his breakthrough season.

With Rodgers intent on handing opportunities to players from the Liverpool academy it would come of no surprise if the likes of Ibe, Sterling and Andre Wisdom feature heavily in the first team next season.