Liverpool are reportedly set to hire Tranmere Rovers midfielder Jay Spearing as a player-coach this summer.
Premier League clubs appear to have made a habit of signing experienced players and assigning them the role of guiding the next generation of players. Liverpool are set to follow that tradition by re-signing Jay Spearing this summer, reports Daily Telegraph.
A native of Wallasey, Spearing is a central midfielder who was most recently plying his trade for Tranmere Rovers. The 33-year-old’s contract at the fourth division outfit expired at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, meaning he is available as a free agent this summer.
Liverpool have used the opportunity to re-sign him ahead of the new season, although the move has not been confirmed yet. Spearing used to play for Liverpool in the early days of his footballing career. He had played under the likes of Rafael Benitez and Roy Hodgson, even appearing in 55 competitive matches for the club.
Spearing left Anfield permanently in the summer of 2013, joining Bolton Wanderers for a fee of just over a million. The experienced midfielder enjoyed a reasonably good spell at Bolton, featuring in almost 200 competitive matches and recording 10 goals and 23 assists.
The 33-year-old had been a part of Tranmere Rovers since the summer of 2020. But from this summer onwards, he could embrace a new role in the Liverpool academy. The veteran midfielder is expected to serve as a player-coach for the Liverpool academy.
Spearing is also eligible to feature as an overage for Liverpool’s Under-21 side. Although the Englishman might not have been a world-renowned footballer, his vast experience could be extremely handy for young players looking to get to grips with the physical nature of English football.
The Wallasey native is known for his leadership qualities as well, which could be useful in helping the youngster compose themselves at the highest level of football and cope well with the rigours of top-flight football.
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It will be interesting to see if Liverpool employ Jay Spearing as a player for the Under-21 side next season. But the 33-year-old’s mere presence in the dressing room could go a long way in speeding up the progress of a myriad of young players looking to make their mark at Anfield in the years to come.
