Jordon Ashley Femi Ibe, currently aged 18, is an up and coming youth talent in the Liverpool ranks. He has been called the "next Sterling" although the young English winger is only a year younger than Raheem.
He joined the Merseyside club back in December of 2011 for an undisclosed fee, having already made his mark on Football League club Wycombe Wanderers by becoming their youngest-ever player in the team's history at only 15 years of age. Impressive, huh?
His playing style highlights both his versatility and his similarities to team-mate Sterling given the fact he plays majorly on the wing and he has already made his professional debut for the club in their Premier League encounter with QPR on the last day of the 2012-13 season. He assisted Coutinho's goal, the only strike of the game, and also made a substitute cameo in their 5-1 thrashing of Arsenal in the last campaign.
Strengths:
Pace: Ibe's pace is blistering. He beats markers with ease, and his speed is unbelievable at times. Arguably faster than Sterling aswell.
Set-pieces: Another good quality to have, he is consistent with his set-pieces. Whether that be corners or costless-kicks, his deliveries are inviting as team-mates rush to get on the end of crosses.
Dribbling: Ibe's dribbling is probably one of his best strengths in truth. He weaves past defenders with the ball stuck to his feet, and his confidence helps him go up against defenders in tricky situations, making chances out of nothing.
Passing: People may say that passing is not a quality that is vital for a winger, but Ibe has enough versatility to play as an attacking midfielder. His passing is almost always accurate, whether it is a short pass or a long through ball. He has a tendency to play cute lay-offs to team-mates, which makes for attractive football all-round.
Weaknesses:
Crossing: Sometimes inconsistent, something that Ibe needs to work on if he is going to get more assists from wide positions.
Disclipine: Although it is not the worst, Ibe needs to ensure that he stays composed throughout a match to avoid the possibility of picking up a yellow card, which he has done twice in his last few matches.
Some people may argue that Ibe is not yet ready for first-team opportunities, but he has starred for the Liverpool U-18 side as well as gaining an impressive reputation at international level for the U-18, U-19 and U-20 teams. Added onto that, he has joined Championship sides Birmingham City and Derby County over the past two years, in an attempt to gain regular first-team football; which is admirable for a player of his potential at such a young age.
And, with the team's lack of attacking threat at the moment, the 18-year-old will be poised to take his chance and feature for the first-team, for many years to come alongside the likes of Markovic and Origi. Certainly one to look in the future.