Alan Nixon seems to suggest Blackburn Rovers could sign Leighton Clarkson today after he impressed during pre-season for Liverpool.
Probably the Liverpool lad … https://t.co/315WWXJJCS
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) August 14, 2021
Presumably, Blackburn will be taking Clarkson on loan after a recent report by Lancashire Live suggested the Rovers were keen on the teen.
Clarkson impresses in pre-season for youth
With virtually no new signings to talk about, this pre-season has been all about Liverpool’s youth stars, with Kaide Gordon, Harvey Elliott and Clarkson all impressing.
INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – JULY 29: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Leighton Clarkson of Liverpool FC controls the ball during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Hertha BSC and FC Liverpool at Tivoli Stadion Tirol on July 29, 2021 in Innsbruck, Austria. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images/Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Clarkson is a tidy midfielder and while it’s easy to get carried away with youth talent, he has been very good on every occasion I’ve seen him.
He made his professional Liverpool debut in 2019 in a League Cup clash against Aston Villa but this summer he has looked mature, strong and not out of place among midfielders like Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It’s amazing to see the talent that Liverpool have at their disposal these days and in several years, we could see Trent Alexander-Arnold as captain of a side featuring the likes of Elliott, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Clarkson if the latter continues to progress.
UNSPECIFIED, AUSTRIA – JULY 23: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Leighton Clarkson of Liverpool competing with Jonathan Meier of FSV Mainz during the Pre Season friendly match between Liverpool and FSV Mainz 05 on July 23, 2021 in UNSPECIFIED, Austria. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
His best game for the Reds this summer came against Osasuna when he came on for the final 30 minutes and casually began to ping the ball around the park as if he’d been on the pitch all game.
He even tried to score from 25 yards with a curler but missed by several yards but it’s great to see how confident he is after a summer with the first team.
Hopefully a loan with Blackburn – much like with Elliott – can give Clarkson the springboard to launch himself into the Liverpool first-team picture next season.
