Liverpool have strengthened their academy structure by appointing Bafode Diakhaby as the club’s new Youth Development Phase coach at the AXA Training Centre.
The 36-year-old arrives after more than a decade working at Paris Saint-Germain’s acclaimed academy, where he helped shape talents such as Kingsley Coman, Adrien Rabiot, Presnel Kimpembe and Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Diakhaby will be tasked with creating a high-performance environment for youngsters that mirrors first-team standards while remaining tailored to their age and stage of development.
His role blends tactical coaching with a deep focus on adolescent growth, ensuring Liverpool’s prospects are prepared technically, physically and mentally for senior football.
The move comes amid wider backroom changes at Anfield, following the mid-season departure of set-piece coach Aaron Briggs and analyst Lewis Mahoney’s promotion to a matchday role.
At PSG, Diakhaby mostly worked with pre-formation age groups, often being the first to spot and refine raw talent before it advanced to elite level.
Reflecting on his time in Paris, he wrote on LinkedIn: “With a lot of gratitude for all those who have shared this journey, on and off the pitch. The next chapter will be written elsewhere, like a new adventure. But some things remain: the bonds, the relationships, the memories, the love of the game. PSG will always be a special club for me, one that I will continue to follow with great attention and affection.”
