Zac Jagielka, son of former Everton star Phil, has left Liverpool to sign for Hull City.
The forward, who is a Wales Under-17s international, had progressed through the Reds’ academy after joining them as a 13-year-old. But ECHO sister site Hull Live reported earlier this month that the teenager was on trial with the Tigers.
The Championship outfit have now confirmed the signing of Jagielka, with the forward part of an intake of 12 new first-year scholars who have signed two-year scholarships with the club.
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Father Phil Jagielka, who made made 385 appearances across 12 seasons with Everton and captained the club for six years, reacted to Jagielka Jnr’s move on Instagram. Sharing Hull academy’s story confirming their new intake, with their picture of Zac, he wrote: ‘Go on tiger’, accompanied by a Tiger emoji.
Jagielka will now predominantly feature for Hull’s Under-18s side in the Professional Development League heading into the 2024/25 season.
Speaking of his new arrivals, Tigers coach Chad Gribble said: “I am really excited to have the new batch of lads coming in. It is going to be a different dynamic.
“There are lads coming from other football clubs that have decided to come on board with us, some of whom had multiple offers and we are delighted they have come on board with our programme. That speaks volume for the way the academy is progressing that we can attract players coming out of massive football clubs and they want to be a part of what we are doing.”
Jagielka had been one of a number of Liverpool starlets following in the footsteps of famous fathers, with the likes of Bobby Clark (Lee Clark), Jayden Danns (Neil Danns), Lewis Koumas (Jason Koumas), Keyrol Figueroa (Maynor Figueroa) and Prince Kobe Cisse (Djibril Cisse) currently within their varying ranks.
Elsewhere, Owen Beck, who enjoyed an impressive season loan at Dundee last year and also made his Premier League debut for Liverpool, is the great-nephew of Reds legend Ian Rush.
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Jagielka becomes the latest Liverpool youngster to move to Hull, though the forward’s exit is permanent, after Tyler Morton and Fabio Carvalho thrived on loan with the Tigers last season.
Elsewhere, former Liverpool academy goalkeeper Luke Hewitson has joined Fleetwood Town after his Reds contract expired at the end of last month.
The 19-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Cod Army after the League Two outfit fought off competition from a host of clubs, and the shot-stopper will initially join up with Fleetwood’s Development Squad.