:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48562283/GettyImages-465270598.0.jpg)
Young Liverpool striker Jerome Sinclair has looked to be done at Anfield for much of the past year. The player was left off the summer touring squad and tweeted about his hopes for a new chapter in his career. Then he went out and hired Aidy Ward, most famous around Anfield as Raheem Sterling’s agent, to represent him.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season and no news of movement behind the scenes towards a new deal, the consensus was that the 19-year-old striker was already as good as gone. A few links to Manchester City earlier this month seemed unlikely, but a new set linking him with Watford could set Sinclair’s future.
According to The Telegraph, Watford had already targeted Sinclair as a potential signing once his contract expired, but the Premier League’s tenth-place side believe he could help them now. And that given it’s clear he doesn’t have a future at Anfield, that they likely wouldn’t have to pay Liverpool very much to get him in early.
Sinclair signed with Liverpool as a 14-year-old from West Bromwich Albion, and for a time was touted as the academy’s brightest prospect—better than Sterling or current Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe. He became the club’s youngest ever senior player when he made his debut against former club West Brom in the League Cup.
That was more than three seasons ago, though, and in the time since Sinclair has made only three further appearances for Liverpool. He also played one game for Wigan in the Championship on an emergency loan. Even being tabbed for greatness, this is hardly the worst thing in the world for a 19-year-old striker prospect.
Given Liverpool’s striker struggles over the past two years, though, it’s a little surprising he hasn’t been closer to the first team, and there have been questions of whether the player may have let too much early praise go to his head and stunt his development. And in any case, it appears a situation that has not sat well with Sinclair.
Having been angling for a move since at least last summer, then, Watford could be where Sinclair soon ends up. At least if the reports turn out to have any truth to them. Even if they don’t, though, it’s almost impossible to imagine Sinclair still being at Liverpool come next season.