Liverpool could be set to lose a promising youngster for free as soon to be out-of-contract Conor Masterson is being eyed by Norwich on a free transfer.
The Premier League title race might still be in Liverpool’s grasps, despite a few hiccups. But, the Reds could be set to lose their grip on one of their promising youngsters. Conor Masterson’s contract is up for expiry at the end of the season and the defender is a Bosman target for current Championship leaders Norwich City, according to The Sun.
Conor Masterson was actually brought in by Liverpool around the player’s 16th birthday for a fee close to £1 million, which is quite a lot for young academy stars, especially since it was in 2014. Masterson has since shined for the Under-18s and the Under-23 side for the Reds.
Now an established member in the Liverpool Under-23 team, the 20-year-old has failed to break into the first-team. For a player who, towards the end of the 2017-18 campaign was labelled as ‘ready’ by club manager Jurgen Klopp, Masterson has not even come close to a first-team debut in the 2018-19 season, despite Liverpool undergoing a central defensive crisis, of sorts, in between.
Masterson is now determined to gain first-team playing time and he is likely to be aware it will be tough to achieve it at Liverpool, with most of the defenders returning to fitness and Klopp reportedly looking for further reinforcements in the summer. The youngster’s deal is yet to be renewed and he is now attracting interest from Championship leaders Norwich City.
The Canaries are favourites to win the Championship and get promoted to the top-tier. This means they will be able to provide Premier League football to Masterson, who would not have to drop down a level or two in English football to achieve first-team football.
Norwich currently have Grant Hanley, Timm Klose, Christoph Zimmerman and Ben Godfrey as central defensive options. But, Godfrey is a target for Premier League bigwigs Liverpool and Manchester United. Thus, the Canaries might want to reinforce the position on the cheap while also preparing for the contingency.
Masterson will not be the only exit, should he leave Liverpool in the summer. Former Barcelona star Bobby Adekanye has rejected Liverpool’s offer of an extension and has already started his search for a new club that will provide first-team opportunities.
The report does not contain any information regarding Liverpool’s willingness to retain Masterson, who could really use the opportunity of a move for a measly compensation fee to take the next step in his career.
