Jurgen Klopp has pledged Rhian Brewster will get “all the support he needs” from Liverpool after the teenager’s claims of persistent racial abuse.
Brewster, 17, has yet to make his senior debut for the Reds but won the Golden Boot in England’s Under-17 World Cup success in October.
He told The Guardian he was the victim of vile racial slurs in the final of that tournament against Spain and recalled six other occasions when he was subjected to or witnessed similar incidents.
Liverpool submitted an official complaint after one alleged incident during a UEFA Youth League tie against Spartak Moscow earlier this month and Klopp vowed to continue to back his man.
“We give him all the support he needs, he wants and all the support you can give,” said the German.
“I am really long in the business, in the sport, and I never faced a situation like that. That means to a lot of people that it doesn’t happen but obviously it happens all the time.
“I’m really happy that he is brave enough to do what he did because it is such an important thing really. I can’t believe that people have these kind of thoughts still in their mind.
“We needed a 17-year-old boy to shout out, to say it is still happening and it happens all the time, to say ‘I need help, we need help’.
“It’s not a situation you want a 17-year-old boy to be in but if it’s like this and he needs help, we give it to him of course.”
Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, have already hailed the teenager for speaking out and declared him “incredibly brave”.
UEFA has been asked for comment. In its rules the governing body says anyone found guilty of racist abuse faces a suspension of at least 10 matches.
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