Ben Doak’s Surprise Scotland Inclusion Could Be Good News For Slot
Liverpool has a history of signing top Scottish talent, with Kenny Dalgliesh, Graeme Souness, Steve Nicol, Alan Hanson, Gary McAllister, and Andy Robertson all contributing significantly over the years.
After a disappointing trophyless end to Klopps incredible Anfield career, incoming manager Arne Slot will undoubtedly have ideas about players he will want to bring in.
But one young player who could save the Dutchman money in the transfer market is Ben Doak. The 18-year-old Scot has just been called up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland side and could be in contention to feature at this summer’s Euros.
Scotland’s odds of around 125/1 to win the Euros won’t come as a surprise to fans using the many sportsbooks that are popular among UK players, but gambling expert Matty Treuberg points out the benefit of in-play betting markets on non-Gamstop betting sites. This could be perfect for Scottish fans who might fancy the exciting young forward to make an impact if he gets game time.
Ben Doak’s Scotland Call-Up
Ben Doak’s call-up to Scotland’s provisional Euro 2024 squad came as a surprise to most, having notched up just 332 minutes of senior football in his fledgling career.
Once dubbed the ‘Scottish Wayne Rooney’, Doak’s inclusion in the 28-man squad offers Clarke something different and could help inject some pace into the team.
After a season blighted by injury, his return at just the right time, and the fact that the rest of the squad has just completed a tough season, could see him included in the final 26 that fly to Germany.
Ben Doak’s Club History
Ben Doak comes from the small, North Ayrshire town of Dalry and played locally before moving to Ayr United’s youth team. He was then snapped up by Celtic and made his debut for the Scottish club at just 16.
Despite rising through the ranks at Celtic and being introduced to first-team football, he decided to move to Liverpool in 2022. The £600,000 development fee paid to Celtic could turn out to be an extremely shrewd business.
He made his Liverpool debut in an EFL Cup win against Derby County at 16, and five days later signed a professional contract on his 17th birthday.
His Premier League debut came in a Boxing Day win over Aston Villa, making him the youngest Scot to feature in an EPL fixture.
Klopp included Doak more often during the 2023/24 season before an injury ruled him out for months. He returned near the end of the season but did not feature again.
Ben Doak’s International History
His Scotland career began in 2019 playing for the Under-16s, he progressed to the Under-17s in 2021 before moving up to the Under-21s the following season.
It took Doak just seven minutes of U-21 football against Northern Ireland to score, making him Scotland’s youngest-ever scorer in that age category.
Steve Clarke has long been an admirer of the talented winger, and his recovery from injury in time for the pre-Euro friendlies against Gibraltar and Finland could see him do enough to make the final cut.
Scotland meet Germany in the tournament opener on June 14th, and Clarke might be mindful of Doak’s pace for breakaways in what is likely to be a defensive performance.
Ben Doak’s Liverpool Future
Doak will have to impress the new Liverpool manager but he has time after signing a long-term contract extension with the club. It is likely that he will be seen as backup until he can prove himself as a regular, and a good start to his international career at the Euros could help with that.
Early odds for next season’s Premier League race put Manchester City as the odds-on favourite with Arsenal just behind. Liverpool are third-favourites according to overseas non-Gamstop gambling sites with the most competitive odds.
These odds may change during the summer transfer window, but Doak will be hopeful that Slot has him in mind when planning for the future.
