Liverpool starlet Leighton Clarkson has joined Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan.
As reported by Goal, the 19-year-old trained with Rovers on Monday morning ahead of his official unveiling, and is eager to test himself at first-team level after impressing in pre-season for the Reds.
Clarkson is following in the footsteps of Liverpool team-mate Harvey Elliott, who took in a successful loan spell at Ewood Park last term, and will be expected to make a similar impact as Tony Mowbray's side fight for promotion from the Championship.
How did the deal come about?
Goal has learned that Mowbray has been an admirer of Clarkson for some time, and his assistant coach Mark Venus was present to watch the teenager star for Liverpool in a 3-1 friendly win against Osasuna on August 9.
Clarkson grew up supporting Blackburn, having been born in Clitheroe, and the Reds have a strong relationship with the club after the Elliott deal, which showed that they are adept when it comes to the development of younger players.
Clarkson's rise to prominence
Clarkson graduated to Liverpool's first-team squad in 2019, and made his debut for the club in a Champions League clash with Midtjylland in December last year.
The talented midfielder has also appeared in the Carabao Cup, earning valuable experience in Jurgen Klopp's senior set-up that has held him in good stead at Under-23 level.
Clarkson appeared in 14 Premier League 2 games for the club last term, recording three goals and three assists, and it has been reported that some of the Anfield coaches have given him the nickname "Philipp Lahm” due to similarities in his style of play with the former Germany and Bayern Munich full-back.
He also appeared in Liverpool's 1-0 win against Mainz and 4-3 defeat to Hertha Berlin in pre-season, but will now have to get used to a new environment at Blackburn with a view to returning to Merseyside next summer and fighting for a place in Klopp's line-up.
Further reading
- Van Dijk: I am not a robot
- Liverpool agree terms for Davies to join Sheff Utd on loan
- Liverpool denounce homophobic chanting directed at Gilmour
