This Liverpool transfer exit slipped under the radar as the window closed

Liverpool have completed another piece of late-window business with academy forward Tyler Martin leaving for Stoke City on a permanent move.

Stoke City’s official club website confirmed that Tyler Martin, an 18-year-old forward, has joined the Championship club’s under-21s on an 18-month contract after a trial period.

“Stoke City’s under-21s have completed the signing of forward Tyler Martin on an 18-month contract.”

The same update underlined how quickly the move came together, with Tyler Martin arriving after a five-year spell at Liverpool and making an immediate impact in Premier League 2 football during his trial.

“Tyler Martin joins following five-year stay at Liverpool” and “18-year-old has scored twice in three appearances during trial period” were the key lines that explained why Stoke City moved decisively.

Tyler Martin leaves Liverpool as Stoke explain why they moved

Tyler Martin joins City's under-21s

The forward, who has scored twice in three PL2 games during an initial trial period, has penned an 18-month contract.

— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) February 3, 2026

Stoke City academy director Sam Stockley provided the clearest reasoning for why the under-21s wanted Tyler Martin, focusing on the player’s character as much as the output.

“Since he joined us for an initial trial period, his attitude and work ethic, both on and off the pitch, has been exemplary.”

Stockley also outlined the profile Stoke believe they are getting, and it reads like a description of a modern development-forward attacker.

“He is dynamic and quick, has an eye for goal and is versatile in terms of his ability to play through the middle and in wide areas.”

From our side, it is a reminder that we cannot keep every talent as pathways tighten, especially with senior squad needs dominating attention at the end of a winter window.

Tyler Martin stats show why a move made sense

Stoke City have completed the signing of Liverpool U18 player Tyler Martin after a successful trial period. He will join up with the U21s.

Best of luck to the winger who signed for Liverpool at U14 level. pic.twitter.com/a6swIFE9zM

— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) February 3, 2026

The raw minutes tell the story of why this is framed as a development step, because Tyler Martin simply did not see much competitive time for Liverpool this season, while the trial at Stoke offered immediate opportunity (Stats source: SofaScore).

That Stoke return is eye-catching even in a small sample, with two goals in 126 minutes during substitute appearances, which is exactly the kind of short-term evidence that can turn a trial into a contract.

Tyler Martin was well regarded inside the academy setup, and the background point about late moments fits with what Stoke’s staff appear to like: directness, speed, and a knack for arriving at the right time.

This window has also shown a clear pattern in our academy traffic, because 20-year-old full-back Calum Scanlon has left temporarily on loan, while Tyler Martin has now moved permanently, which underlines how different development routes can look depending on position, opportunity, and timing.

There is also a familiar Stoke connection for Tyler Martin, with Francis Gyimah having made the same Liverpool-to-Stoke pathway recently, which should help the transition settle quickly.

And in the wider context of our month, where Christophe Dugarry has criticised the fee for Jeremy Jacquet as “ridiculous”, the quieter academy exits like Tyler Martin’s can get lost, even though they are still meaningful pieces of business for the club’s long-term structure.

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