Ex-Bradford youngster lined up for Liverpool against Arsenal in the first leg on the F.A Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON at the Emirates Stadium.

Bradford sold Wisdom, who has just turned 16, to the Reds 18 months ago for a moderate initial fee in a deal which included add-on clauses.

New youth boss David Wetherall told the Telegraph & Argus, "The youth budget is ring-fenced to an extent but the cuts happening at the club also affect our side.

"We don't get any money from the club now which we have done in the past. It is being pared right back to the bone.

"So you either make money by bringing players through to play in your first team and helping the football club grow or do what we've done in the past and had no choice but to do. You get players in, register them, coach them as much as you can and Premier League clubs come in and take the very best ones.

"Hopefully, we're still in a position financially where we can develop players and produce them for the future, with Peter (Horne, youth development officer) still working his magic and finding another Delph or Wisdom.

"We'd like to bring them through for this club but, at worst, they are off to the Premier League where we can take hundreds of thousands, possibly running into millions on their future development."