Liverpool fear Brewster may join teen exodus to Germany
Liverpool are increasingly fearful that their teenager Rhian Brewster will quit Anfield this summer and head to Germany.
The 18-year-old, who received lavish praise from manager Jurgen Klopp for his brave stance exposing racist abuse in youth football, is out of contract at the end of the season.
Borussia Monchengladbach are leading the pursuit, and RB Leipzig have been monitoring Brewster’s contract impasse.
Liverpool are taking a pragmatic view and losing the player is likely to be met with frustration rather than anger – they signed the striker in similar circumstances from Chelsea four years ago.
Brewster has never hidden his ambition to play at the highest level as soon as possible and his next decision will be dictated by how much first-team football he can get. Klopp has promised the England Under-17 international he will join the firstteam squad from pre-season, but he cannot promise him a start ahead of the most prolific front three in Champions League history.
Germany is becoming an attracnapoli’s tive destination and this season Manchester City lost Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund and Everton’s Ademola Lookman moved to RB Leipzig on loan.
Rather than becoming another “lost generation” hoping for a chance in the Premier League until their early-20s, England’s young players are becoming proactive and seeking regular game time abroad. A trend is evidently under way,
Target man: Rhian Brewster is being pursued by several German clubs which may deprive top English clubs of academy gems but will aid the players’ swifter development at the top level of European football.
But for an ankle injury, Brewster, who won the golden boot at the Under-17 World Cup, may even have forced his way into Klopp’s squad at the end of this season.
At Thursday’s Football Writers’ Association dinner, Klopp asked Brewster to attend so that a tribute could be paid to the youngster for publicly expressing his despair with Uefa and Fifa’s lame efforts to combat on-field racist abuse.
Brewster said he was targeted for both club and country, but insufficient evidence meant no action was taken against those he accused.
“Rhian spoke about racism in football with the same power, command and composure that he shows when playing,” said Klopp.
The manager, meanwhile, has urged his side to “get what they deserve” by securing Champions League qualification next season. A draw at home to Brighton tomorrow will be enough.
“I think we deserve it but we have to make the last step,” said Klopp. “If we don’t and Chelsea get the spot, then they deserve it. But over the whole season, the boys have worked in the most difficult circumstances. Chelsea made five or six changes in midweek. That would not be possible for us, even if we thought about it.
“These boys have had to fight for each yard, the last six or seven weeks, pretty much the same group. That is the situation. I really think they deserve it, but we have to make the final step ourselves because nobody will probably help us.”