A 17-year-old Liverpool transfer target is expected to move in January amid interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
The Daily Mail has reported that the Reds are interested in strengthening their youth ranks with the signing of Carlisle United starlet Jarrad Branthwaite.
He is the third defender to be linked with a move to Anfield in the last few days after Vitesse left-back Max Clark and Sevilla star Diego Carlos.
Clark would make a good back up for Andy Robertson and Carlos would plug the injury gap that Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren has left behind, while the towering Branthwaite would be a good option for the future.
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Chelsea have their beady eye on the League Two starlet, who has made his breakthrough this season and played 10 games for the Cumbrians.
The report indicates that Carlisle bosses are resigned to losing Jarrad Branthwaite this winter, although it doesn’t specify the fee. He isn’t even given a valuation by Transfermarkt, the normally reliable website, although you wouldn’t imagine it would take an extortionate offer to sign the youngster.
Liverpool are well stocked in their defensive youth ranks with Ki-Jana Hoever making his first team debut and impressing, while Sepp van den Berg joined in the summer after doing well for Zwolle in the Eredivisie.
It seems to mark an indication of how the club will continue their activity in the market. They are looking for young players with potential to improve, who can play a back-up role to those established first team regulars.
Max Clark would come in as Robertson’s understudy, Takumi Minamino will operate as a versatile forward across the front three in order to relieve the pressure on Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah while Branthwaite will be regarded as one for the future.
These are exciting times to be a Liverpool fan, and the January transfer window is only going to increase the anticipation for what’s to come.