Liverpool’s Former Prodigy: The Decline of Rhian Brewster

Liverpool has consistently demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity. Players come and go, but Anfield has a knack for sustaining success. While Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential departure to Real Madrid would be a blow, it’s unlikely to completely derail Arne Slot’s project.

FSG may be controversial at times, but their strong framework breeds lasting success. Sporting director Richard Hughes will be expected to allocate transfer resources wisely this summer.

When Alexander-Arnold leaves, 23-year-old Curtis Jones will become Slot’s leading homegrown player, having already made 170 appearances since breaking through from the academy.

The future looks bright, with promising youngsters like Rio Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni and Ben Doak in the pipeline. That’s not even mentioning Alexander-Arnold’s potential replacement Conor Bradley and fellow defensive prospect Jarell Quansah, who Newcastle United are pursuing and is valued at over £30m.

Of course, not all highly-touted prospects reach their potential. This reality makes Alexander-Arnold’s rise to stardom all the more remarkable.

There was once a youngster considered to have even greater potential than Alexander-Arnold. Sadly, injuries and circumstances have reduced him to a shadow of that once lofty promise.

Rhian Brewster looked destined for greatness in Liverpool’s youth ranks, alongside legends like Steven Gerrard. Hailed as a “complete striker” with “unbelievable” ball-striking ability by Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant Pep Lijnders, Brewster was tipped for big things.

At just 16, Brewster made Liverpool’s Premier League matchday squad in 2016/17. However, his development was derailed by injuries in his late teens.

Sold to Sheffield United for £23.5m in 2020, Brewster has struggled to live up to expectations. Now valued at just £2m by Transfermarkt, it’s difficult to argue against Liverpool’s decision to sell him.

While all at Liverpool will wish Brewster success, his dramatic fall from grace highlights the unpredictable nature of player development. Once considered a brighter prospect than even Alexander-Arnold, Brewster now seems unlikely to reach the heights his former teammate has achieved at Anfield.