Wigan and Middlesbrough Told Cameron Brannagan Not for Sale

Liverpool have rebuffed approaches from both Wigan Athletic and Middlesbrough for 20-year-old midfielder Cameron Brannagan, with the youngster expected to remain at Anfield this season as an important rotation option and first team regular.

According to The Liverpool Echo, Wigan made an opening offer of more than £1M for the young attacking midfielder who has two seasons to go on his first club contract, but were told that Liverpool would not consider a sale of Brannagan at any fair or reasonable price.

They, along with Middlesbrough, were also told that the Reds would not consider a loan for the Manchester-born youngster, who has in the past drawn rumours interest from Barcelona. Unlike many of his fellow youth team players, Brannagan has never gone out on loan.

The 20-year-old has spent his entire career at Liverpool, having first joined the youth ranks at the age of five. In total, he has made nine senior appearances for the club, all in 2015-16 and following an September Europa League appearance under Brendan Rodgers.

When Jürgen Klopp arrived, Brannagan remained in the first team plans, and he was named to the matchday squad on 13 occasions by Liverpool’s new manager. A lack of European football and a handful of new signings, though, had many thinking his chances might be more limited this season.

It would seem, though, that Klopp sees things differently; that he sees Brannagan playing a fairly significant squad role in the coming season.