Sergi Canos future: Liverpool teenager in contract stand-off with Reds after making debut

Sergi Canos made his Liverpool debut on Sunday but will leave unless the club agrees a new deal with him this summer

Liverpool youngster Sergi Canos in action (Getty)

Spanish teenager Sergi Canos made his Liverpool debut on Sunday afternoon, but the midfielder’s Anfield future is still in doubt as contract talks drag on.

Canos played the last nine minutes of Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, which he described afterwards as “a dream come true” and “the best 10 minutes of my life”. 19-year-old Canos had returned to Liverpool last weekend after an impressive season on loan at Brentford in the Championship.

But Canos’ current Liverpool contract has just one year left to run and the two parties are currently some way apart on terms for a new deal. Liverpool have so far offered him a new deal on £3,000 per week, which is one third of what he could hope to command if he left. Liverpool are currently trying to keep their wage bill down for young players, an approach that cost them Jordan Rossiter, who agreed a move to Rangers last week. This new club policy could see Canos leave as well.

If Canos does not agree a new long-term contract at Anfield then Liverpool will have little option but to sell him, as he would still bring in a fee of at least £1million if he made a permanent transfer this summer. Brentford are keen on signing him permanently, after he made 38 Championship appearances and scored seven goals for them. Reading and Fulham have also enquired about him.

Rangers, who are back in the Scottish Premier League next season, are also keen on Canos, having just signed Rossiter for a compensation fee of only £250,000. Rangers' new head of recruitment Frank McParland spent 14 years working at Anfield, as chief scout then as academy director.

If Canos sees out the last year of his contract next season he can join a foreign side with Liverpool only receiving limited training compensation, rather than a fee set by a tribunal. With Spanish sides Eibar and Sporting Gijon interested in signing him this way, Liverpool will have to either secure Canos’ future this summer or sell him.