Liverpool loanee Leighton Clarkson has been named Aberdeen’s Young Player of the Year at the club’s end-of-season awards. The 21-year-old midfielder has made 33 appearances since joining the Scottish Premier League side in the summer, notching five goals and eight assists in all competitions. His impressive campaign has helped take Aberdeen up to third place in the league table, all but securing a Europa League spot for the club next season.
More than 1,000 people were in attendance at the awards ceremony at the P&J Live, where Clarkson was among a host of winners on both the men’s and women’s sides. He spent last season on loan at Blackburn, where he made 19 appearances and registered two goals with three assists.
In February, Clarkson insisted that the loan move has been “beneficial” for his development, adding that he has been played in “a couple of different positions” during his time in Scotland. It remains to be seen whether his future lies at Anfield or whether a temporary or permanent switch will be made this summer. He has made three senior appearances for the club so far, including a 90-minute display during a 1-1 draw away at Midtjylland in the Champions League. The youngster will no doubt be hoping that his eye-catching loan spell will have caught the attention of manager Jurgen Klopp as he bids for greater involvement at Liverpool upon his return.