West Ham United are among a host of clubs chasing National League gem Rueben Livesey-Austin from Havant & Waterlooville.
According to Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, National League side Havant & Waterlooville are expecting multiple clubs to make approaches for their shining left-back Reuben Livesey-Austin. The 20-year-old has West Ham United in the mix, while two more Premier League clubs, as well as a handful of Championship sides, are keeping tabs.
It’s not often that a National League player gets the attention of top clubs from higher tiers. In the Premier League alone, there are very few prominent names who have come through the ranks of non-league football and rose to prominence to the top tier to perform well here.
The names of Ian Wright, Michail Antonio, and, more prominently, Jamie Vardy stand out in that regard. It tends to show how difficult it is to bring talent from lower leagues and on to the top flight, although there’s one name that could make that cut in the coming period.
Havant & Waterlooville, who ply their trade in the Southern National League, are bracing for approaches from some of the higher-tier clubs for their promising left-back Rueben Livesey-Austin. The player is thought to have impressed with his performances for the National League side, playing a key role in their current season.
The indication is that he plays with a level of maturity not seen much in non-league football, which has attracted the attention of several clubs. From the Premier League, West Ham, Southampton, and Brighton are keen. At the same time, other clubs like Middlesbrough, Charlton, Cardiff City and Peterborough United have all shown an interest, meaning there’s a definite chance of Livesey-Austin leaving his current club.
West Ham chasing Rueben Livesey-Austin
West Ham United are understood to be leading the race for the 20-year-old left-back gem and are ahead of their rivals in the chase. New boss Graham Potter has a reputation for developing players of unknown quantity, and Livesey-Austin might be in that category.
The Hammers are eager to bring in players with high potential and help aid their development into some top names for the future. The 20-year-old left-back could be seen as a solid enough prospect who might have some level of impact, as the Londoners are widely expected to make an approach in this window.
