Former Premier League Golden Boot winner Kevin Phillips expects Liverpool to loan out young attacker Rhian Brewster again next season but feels that he could have a long-term future at Anfield.
The youngster, celebrating his 20th birthday today, is currently on loan at Swansea in the Championship, with both James Pearce in The Athletic and Paul Gorst in the Liverpool Echo suggesting that he could be set for another temporary move away from his parent club in the 2020/21 season.
Phillips has echoed those views but noted that Jurgen Klopp’s decision to give him experience on loan rather than sell him outright bodes well for his long-term status at Liverpool. Speaking about Brewster to Football Insider, he said: “For his progression, what they are doing with loaning him out is spot on. We have seen it before with the lads that went to Derby under Frank [Lampard] and they are now flying at their respective clubs.
“Klopp obviously thinks highly of him because they have not sold him. He is developing under a manager that has a great track record for bringing players on and working with young players. But is he going to play in that team every week next season? No, he is not. So, I can see another loan.”
Phillips is probably right to advocate another loan for Brewster next season, given his current lack of senior experience. While he had been starting almost every week at Swansea before the coronavirus-enforced halting of English football, he has only played three first team games for Liverpool and therefore would be highly unlikely to seriously challenge Roberto Firmino for a place in the first team soon, or even nudge ahead of Divock Origi in the centre-forward pecking order under Klopp.
Harry Wilson, who is three years older than Brewster and scored 18 goals for Lampard’s Derby last season, has netted six times in the Premier League for Bournemouth this term but, as hinted by Pearce in The Athletic, even that might not be enough to prevent Liverpool from selling him in the summer if a good offer comes their way. If a forward scoring at top-flight level has doubts over his Anfield future, then Championship operator Brewster can’t seriously expect to get into the Reds’ line-up with any great regularity.
However, that he had been starting and scoring for Swansea (four goals in 11 games) bodes well for his progression as a footballer, as should his four goals in pre-season for Liverpool last year. Therefore, as Phillips has stated, the best course of action for Brewster would seem to be another loan move, hopefully to a Premier League club, so that he can take the next major step in his development.
Liverpool fans, do you agree with Phillips’ verdict on Brewster? Have your say by commenting below!
