Liverpool Beat 29 Other Clubs to South American Gem—but the Hard Work Begins Now
Every leading club is looking for the next superstar before they actually become one. Real Madrid did it with Vinícius Júnior, capturing the 16-year-old within two weeks of his senior Flamengo debut, and now Liverpool hope they have found a future gem in Samuel Martínez.
The 17-year-old Colombian was signed from Atlético Nacional in July but remains there until next summer due to FIFA rules not allowing minors to make international transfers. Martínez turns 18 in April 2027 and will officially join Liverpool on July 1 next year.
Martínez was a standout player at this year’s U-17 South American Championship in April, which brought him to the attention of most of Europe’s top teams—he was unknown outside Colombia’s youth soccer scene before that. Liverpool even referenced those performances, helping Colombia reach the semifinals, in their announcement statement.
Such tournaments are naturally going to be a scouting haven for the European elite.
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Man Utd, Barcelona, Chelsea, Man City Rejected
The youngster’s proud parents have claimed that 29 other clubs—including Manchester United and Barcelona—were turned down in favor of choosing Liverpool.
“Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Barcelona, Watford, Udinese, Chelsea, Manchester United, among others, all wanted him,” his father, Jairo Martínez, told Gol Caracol.
Samuel’s mother, Victoria Valencia, chipped in: “It was like a dream to experience that it wasn’t just Liverpool. There were 30 teams around the world, and we didn’t sleep for almost a month and a half. Everyone was calling at all hours. We lived on European time for a month.”
Martínez is yet to make a senior appearance for Atlético Nacional, 18-time Colombian champions. There is the potential that could change over the next 10 months before departing for England, where he will initially be part of Liverpool’s academy.
The teenager is a tall and slender No. 10 already likened to 2007 Ballon d’Or winner Kaká.
Earlier this year, he told ESPN Colombia that “dribbling” and taking on defenders is his favorite thing to do on the pitch. “The truth is, I like to change the pace going forward, always moving forward, taking on opponents,” he said. “I can keep possession and also help defend because it’s not just about attacking; now you have to defend too.”
The mentality should serve him well in England, where there is an expectation at every level that even technically proficient attacking players get their hands dirty in the trenches. It will probably also help him settle that he already speaks English after living in the United States from pre-kindergarten age, up to the end of second grade.
Kendry Paez—a Cautionary Tale
For every Vinícius Jr, there are plenty of teenage gems who didn’t fulfil their early potential.
Martínez would do well to learn from the downfall of Kendry Páez, a first-team player for Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle aged 15 and recruited by Chelsea a year later. He then became Ecuador’s youngest ever international and only Diego Maradona in all of South America has played for a senior national team at a younger age.
But Páez struggled when he finally turned 18 and moved to London. He’s had loans to Strasbourg and River Plate canceled in 2026 and is so far removed from Chelsea’s first-team squad that Xabi Alonso has effectively said there is no chance Páez will play this season.
He is fighting for not just his Chelsea future, but potentially any career at the highest level. “He is a good kid who has had it tough and who has made decisions that have complicated his life,” Michel Deller, Independiente del Valle’s owner, has said of the situation.
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