Layton Stewart Leaves Liverpool for a Shot in the Championship
Academy forward Layton Stewart has been with Liverpool since the age of seven, but he is now trading his boyhood club for a shot in the Championship. The 20-year-old scored 12 goals in 21 appearances for the under-21s last season, a valuable boost to his confidence after a nightmare run with injuries.
Recovering from Injury
The forward was sidelined for 13 months with an ACL injury and season 2022/23 was his opportunity to return to the pitch and build a strong foundation for himself. Jurgen Klopp aided his comeback by handing the youngster his full senior debut in November, he was named in the starting lineup for the Carabao Cup clash with Derby at Anfield, an experience he called “priceless.”
Moving to Preston
But the next chapter of his career is to take him to Preston on a three-year deal, with Stewart hoping to find consistent first-team minutes in the Championship. The move is expected to be announced on Saturday, and as reported by the Athletic, the deal includes a buy-back clause, which is regular practice from the club when it comes to deals like this.
Liverpool have a close relationship with the Lilywhites having loaned the likes of Sepp van den Berg in the past, and Calvin Ramsay is currently on loan at Deepdale. Stewart’s move ends his 13-year spell at the club, but he leaves having accomplished his childhood dream.
Dream Come True
“I have dreamt of this since I knew what Liverpool was,” he said after his senior debut at Anfield in November. “I come week in and week out and watch them and to step foot on the pitch at Anfield was, again, I don’t have words to describe it.”
Stewart’s move to Preston marks the end of an era for the Liverpool academy player, but it also marks the beginning of a new chapter in his career. He has been with Liverpool since he was seven years old, but now he will have the opportunity to prove himself in the Championship. With a buy-back clause included in his contract, Stewart will have the chance to make a return to Anfield if he can make an impact in England’s second division.
The move is expected to be announced on Saturday and Stewart will be looking forward to getting started with Preston. He has already achieved his childhood dream of playing for Liverpool and now he will be looking to make a name for himself in the Championship.