TalkSPORT pundit Danny Mills has questioned Leeds United returning for Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster in the summer after failing to sign the attacker in January.
Reports over the weekend suggested the club will be looking into Brewster’s availability at the end of the season, and would not be afraid to test the waters again should Jurgen Klopp look to send the 20-year-old out on loan once more.
United had considered Brewster during the winter market when it became apparent Arsenal would recall Eddie Nketiah, but lost out on the Reds product to Swansea City as the Jacks were more willing to guarantee the youngster game time.
Klopp is expected to make Brewster available for another temporary move ahead of the 2020/21 campaign on the provision the Anfield outfit are successful in their pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner, as the German’s arrival would further limit the chances of the London-born forward breaking into the Reds first-team.
Mills would urge Director of Football Victor Orta to be careful with his consideration of Brewster’s ability, though, as the former England right-back does not feel he is ready to lead the line over someone like Patrick Bamford.
“I would only see him as a squad player,” Mills told Football Insider. “He is not ready to lead the line, that is for sure. You would need somebody with out-and-out experience of the Premier League.
“You might as well stick with Bamford if you are going to go with Rhian Brewster. Undoubtedly he has got talent, but he is unproven.
“If you are going to replace somebody you have to have the guarantee that they are better than what you have got.”
Brewster had been enjoying a strong run of game time in south Wales before the season was put on pause, with the England U21 international lashing home four times over 11 Championship outings, of which 10 came in the starting line-up.
His return of a goal every 229.75 minutes and having no assists to his name shows there is still much work for Brewster to do before he can claim to be a leading centre-forward, though, so Mills would be right to urge Orta to be considerate in the summer.
Would you take Brewster as Bamford's back-up next season?
Yes
No
Bamford may not be everyone’s cup of tea in West Yorkshire, given he has taken the Championship’s third-most shots (123) but also missed the target the most (61), per Who Scored, and spurned a league-high 25 big chances to score, per Sofa Score, but at least the 26-year-old has the attributes Marcelo Bielsa wants in a leading striker.
Whether Brewster would be open to being Bamford’s back-up next season remains to be seen, but like Mills says, we need to be improving the squad with ready-to-go Premier League talents if we are in the top-flight next term.
In other Leeds United news, a prominent Whites pundit has reacted to a close source revealing offers for a young Whites ace.