OPINION
A trend has begun to emerge in English football recently that has seen some of the country’s top talents up sticks and make their way to play in Germany.
West Ham youngster Reece Oxford has spent this season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, while Manchester City sold Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund for £10million last summer.
Everton winger Ademola Lookman has just completed a successful stint at RB Leipzig, and Tottenham youngster Keanan Bennetts has just joined Monchengladbach permanently.
Liverpool looked like they could be the latest club to lose one of their young talents when Monchengladbach initiated a pursuit of 18-year-old striker Rhian Brewster.
However, that chase now looks to have been stopped dead in it’s tracks after the Reds cancelled their pre-season friendly against the Bundesliga side, and issued a written warning about an alleged illegal approach, as reported by the Telegraph.
Liverpool claim that Monchengladbach have spoken to Brewster without permission, as the Reds youngster is not authorised to speak to other clubs while on his scholarship contract.
While this decision may look like a drastic one from Liverpool, who have had a good relationship with Monchengladbach for decades now, in truth it is a perfect move.
Where Brewster had looked almost likely to complete a calamitous exit this summer after Monchengladbach’s approach, there is now surely no way that the England youth international will leave Anfield in the coming weeks.
Liverpool have really thrown down the gauntlet to their Bundesliga rivals, and it would be massively surprising to see them put up much of a fight with the Reds reportedly threatening to take the issue to FIFA.
The Reds have also underlined their commitment to keeping the youngster at the club, and if he is handed the first-team chances that Jurgen Klopp has promised him next season, then he may end up staying in the long-term as well.
Overall it is a brilliant move from the club as they look to build for the future, with Brewster still remaining in place as the foundation of that envisioned success.
