GFX Rhian Brewster Aston VillaGetty/Goal

Aston Villa among several Premier League clubs interested in signing Liverpool striker Brewster on loan

Aston Villa are among a host of clubs interested in signing Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster on loan.

But the Reds will give the England Under-21 international the chance to prove his worth to Jurgen Klopp during pre-season before making a decision on his future.

Brewster, 20, impressed after moving to Swansea on a temporary basis in January. The Londoner scored 11 times in 22 appearances for the South Wales outfit, helping them reach the play-off semi-finals, where they were narrowly edged out by Brentford over two legs.

Liverpool have been encouraged by his progress, and believe a Premier League loan would be the ideal next step – provided they can find a club where he will get the necessary game time.

Brewster is currently with Klopp's squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria, and will feature in the Reds' behind-closed-doors friendly fixtures ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Villa, though, hope they will be able to strike a deal before the transfer window closes in October. The Midlanders narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last season and are keen to make significant additions as they prepare for their second campaign in the top flight under Dean Smith.

They spent big money on a striker, Wesley, last summer but saw the Brazilian suffer a serious knee injury at Burnley back in January. Later that month, Villa splashed out £8.5 million ($11m) to sign Mbwana Samatta from Genk, but the Tanzania international has managed just two goals in 16 appearances since, with youngster Keinan Davis often preferred by Smith, post-lockdown.

Villa are by no means the only club keen on signing Brewster. Newcastle, Burnley, Brighton and Crystal Palace have all made enquiries, as have newly-promoted Fulham, while in the Championship there is interest from Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford, all of whom were relegated from the Premier League last season.

Rhian Brewster Swansea 2020Getty

Brewster, for his part, has been open when discussing his plans for the coming months and years.

“Ultimately, I want to be at Liverpool next season,” he told The Beautiful Game podcast recently. “I want to be fighting for a spot to play.

“Who is not going to want to play at the home of the champions? I don’t really want to go on loan, but if that’s the best thing for me to do, to go away and get more game time, then that’s what I’m going to do.

“Realistically, I want to play for Liverpool. I want to be the striker, you know? I’ll go to [the Reds’ pre-season training camp], work hard and then whatever the boss says to do, I will accept, whether that’s to stay or whether that’s to go back on loan.”

Meanwhile, young left-back Adam Lewis is set to join Amiens on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old made his senior debut for the Reds in the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Shrewsbury in February, but will now spend the year with the French Ligue 2 outfit.

Another young full-back, Yasser Larouci, is expected to leave on a permanent basis, with Brentford among the clubs interested in signing the 19-year-old. Larouci has entered the final year of his contract, and it has been decided that it is in everyone's best interests if he moves on.

Yasser Larouci Liverpool 2019-20Getty Images

Liverpool will also look to loan Ben Woodburn, with Ipswich and Portsmouth interested in signing the Wales international, who saw a promising spell at Oxford ruined by a broken foot last season. Goal  understands Woodburn, 20, also has admirers in the Eredivisie. 

Sheyi Ojo will be allowed to leave this summer, either on loan or permanently. The England U21 international had a mixed spell up in Scotland with Rangers, and has interest from several Championship clubs including Reading, Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest. 

Goalkeeper Kamil Grabara is also likely to be loaned out, with PAOK and Hamburg just two of the clubs monitoring the situation.

Herbie Kane, meanwhile, is still recovering from surgery on a hamstring injury sustained on loan at Hull last month. The midfielder is expected to be sidelined until the end of September, which may scupper his chances of a move to a Football League club.

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