Rhian Brewster has joined Championship club Swansea City for the remainder of the campaign, with this being the first loan spell of the 19-year-old’s career.
Brewster spent the first half of the season as part of Liverpool’s first-team squad, but found his opportunities limited.
Sunday’s cameo from the bench against Everton was just third appearance of the season, with the others being in the League Cup against MK Dons and Arsenal.
It was deemed necessary, therefore, for the teenager to gain senior experience away from the club for the rest of 2019/20.
And the club have confirmed that he will join Swansea on a half-season deal, with the guarantee of game time a key factor in agreeing terms with Steve Cooper’s side.
Brewster is already familiar with Cooper from his time with the England under-17s, playing for the 40-year-old coach in their World Cup success in 2017.
He scored eight goals at the tournament in India, including a hat-trick in the 3-1 semi-final win over Brazil and one in the 5-2 final victory over Spain, to pick up the Golden Boot.
He was also ranked third in the running for the Golden Ball, with Phil Foden taking first place as player of the tournament, and Brewster’s reputation soared as a result of his performances under Cooper.
Before taking a role with England, Cooper was academy manager at Liverpool, and after working his way through the ranks with the Young Lions he was named Swansea boss in June, bringing in Mike Marsh as his assistant.
Their relationship with Brewster and Liverpool will be key, as though their focus will be on Swansea’s promotion push, they can be expected to approach his situation with more sensitivity, and hopefully aid his development further.
Gaining senior experience at this stage is vital to Brewster’s progress, particularly as England U17s team-mates Foden, Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi have already established themselves with top-level clubs.
There is no pressure on Liverpool’s No. 24 to make his breakthrough as quickly as those players, but a big step forward should be made at Swansea as he eyes a long-term future at Anfield.
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