When Fernando Torres stood on the touchline and the U19's of Atletico Madrid was against Liverpool, he didn't know, but he saw the child tipped to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
While he walked out of the dugout and gestured, it was not a frustration – it was approval. The source of his attention was not a striker or a playmaker. It was Liverpool's right back.
“Torres was just his arms on folding and shook his head to everything that Conor was doing,” recalls Aidy Laird, one of the first to see a young Conor Bradley, spoke with Sky Sports.
“I sat in the stands and Torres watched while Conor used his pace to go through players, to choose passes, knew when they had to fall back, move forward, when he had to mix in the middle. He is just a natural.”
That match told you everything about Bradley, the 21-year-old who prepared himself to take on an even greater role after the departure of Alexander-Arnold, with his next occasion who arrived against Brighton on Monday evening against Brighton.
With a new long-term Liverpool deal, Bradley is the man with the possibility to make the position of his own position, but for those who know him, all this is no surprise.
Laird, a local coach and referee, saw him for the first time in a youth match that he happened to be employed.
He remembered: “I met Joe Mcareee (Dungannon) during a training session and said,” Joe, I think I have a boy who would fit in with the bill. ” Joe asked, “What age?” I said: “Nine or 10 – but I tell you, there is something special”.
That “something” was more than just rough power. “His second touch always came from his first,” Laird continued. “He already knew what was going on. It was instinct. Consciousness. I knew he would continue to something big then.”
The rise of Bradley started seriously in Noord -Ireland and he impressed one of his former clubs, Dungannon United Youth.
Coach Dixie Robinson still remembers the day he arrived. “He came from Castlerner when he was about 11. We had heard a lot about him,” said Robinson.
“We didn't get him at first because of the journey. But we kept in touch with his mother, Linda, and finally brought him back to U14.”
His work percentage immediately noticed. “His attitude and his work ethic were phenomenal,” Robinson continued. “I remember a session that we only had one keeper. Conor sprinted, threw himself in the goals, diving around. He was just enthusiastic about everything.”
That enthusiasm was contagious – and supported by quality. “He was contagious,” adds Robinson. “He was able to score goals, print, repair and defend.
“To be honest, I didn't see him becoming a right back because he scored loads and loads. But he is so coachable, so grounded. He made the position his own position.”
Laird saw the transformation take place. “When Conor played local football, he scored goals for fun from wide or at the top. Now he is Liverpool's right back. It just shows you, if the focus is, if the wish is there, you can play somewhere.”
While he made his way in the professional game, Bradley would later shine on loan with Bolton Wanderers, played 53 games, scored seven times and scored player of the year and players of the Player of the Year Awards.
He returned to Liverpool and impressed his debut-first team season, with 27 times, scored against Chelsea and winning the Carabao Cup.
His boss of Northern Ireland, Michael O'Neill, fully believes that he can fill the Alexander-Arnold-shaped hole of Liverpool in the defense.
“Yes, I am not worried about the mentality of Conor, to be honest. It's something he has, it's one of the things you would worry about,” O'Neill told Sky Sports.
“The only care for me is that he just had a bit of bad luck with the injuries he has had.
“I think Conor has shown that he is more than able to play at that level and also play in a team of that caliber.
“They are a team that perform as high at a level as every team in Europe at the moment. I think people probably didn't even see the best in Conor.”
What he needs now is rhythm. “The real -time to judge him will be when he gets the chance to play 10, 15, 20 games in a row for Liverpool, which he did not have because Trent has been there,” O'Neill continued.
“But also, when Trent might not have been available with injury, Conor also tended to pick up an injury. So that was very frustrating for him.”
Asked to compare Bradley with Alexander-Arnold, O'Neill is clear. “He is clearly a different type of Trent player in terms of what their attacking assets are. Conor's attacking assets are his running ability.
“He makes great runs on the inside of Mo Salah when he plays. He can also play high and play on the outside. He tends to get into more advanced areas to cross the ball than Trent, but then Trent can cross and passes from deeper areas.
“He plays in different positions for us. He can play Wing-Back, he can play right back. We played him more advanced in a more attacking area, and he also played very well in that position. I think he could certainly play in our team as a right-wing midfield player, such as a right-wing eight.
“Conor probably likes to defend more, I would say. He is more defensive more aggressive. But in terms of level, I think he is now at the highest level. Once you get there, it's about getting minutes. It's a challenge.”
The interest of Liverpool in Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen is a reminder of the pure competition at the top clubs. The Reds are close to closing a deal to sign the 24-year-old, Sky Sports News understands.
O'Neill added: “In a club like Liverpool you have to expect that. I don't think he doesn't fear that competition anxiously. He is a player I still think people should see somewhere near Conor.
“But Conor gives a good example in terms of how he plays. I also think he is good, that when things may not go into a game, he has the mentality to play that kind of difficult moment.”
Those who saw him grow, agree with O'Neill that he will embrace the competition. “If someone came to him and said,” We bring a new player (in his position) “, Conor would say,” Ok, then I have to get up again, “says Laird.
“He is not arrogant – he is determined. And he is a team player.”
Robinson agrees. “He has been traveling to Liverpool since he was 11. He has brought in the work, stayed grounded. I think that is what distinguishes him.
“His family has always taken care of him and ensured that he was not dragged too much. Linda and Joe have a phenomenal task at Conor. He is now in world class. Seeing the children coming in with 'Bradley 84' on the back of their shirt is great.”
When Liverpool Bradley handed a long -term contract extension this month, this was confirmation of what many had already seen.
“To sign another contract, I am very proud,” Bradley said at the weekend. “I am just happy to see what the next steps are together on our journey together. You have to keep your head down and continue to work hard.”
Now, with Alexander -Arnold away and the path clear, Bradley's moment is not alone – it's here.
And if you ask those who first saw it, they will tell you the same thing: you just knew.
Sky Sports to show 215 Live PL games next season
From next season, the Premier League coverage of Sky Sports will increase from 128 games to at least 215 games that are exclusively live.
And 80 percent of all Premier League matches broadcast on television will be on Sky Sports next season.