Explainer: why latest Liam Brazier rumour should be treated with a pinch of salt
Port Vale youngster Liam Brazier’s name has been cropping up in the tabloids recently and this time it’s the Mirror newspaper who claim that Barcelona are interested in signing the teenager. However, as our explainer details, the story could be well wide of the mark.
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So, what’s the story?
The Mirror leads with an exclusive story of “Barcelona plotting surprise transfer raid for untested League One wonderkid” saying that the Spanish giants want to sign Liam Brazier and that the club have reacted and have “quickly moved to tie the teenager down” by handing him his “first professional contract.”
This story comes hot on the heels of a Sun story which claimed that a host of clubs including Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, PSG, Marseille, Nice, Juventus, Benfica and Rangers plus a number of Premier League sides are interested in Brazier. It claimed that Brazier had been referred to as the “next Jack Grealish.”
And who is Liam Brazier?
The 17 year-old is one of a number of youth team players to appear in the first-team this season. Born in Stockton Brook, Brazier has only played in Football League Trophy games this season in contrast to fellow youngsters Ben Lomax, Jack Shorrock and Baylee Dipepa who have all appeared in League games. It therefore has come as a surprise to many Vale fans to hear Brazier’s name linked to so many huge clubs.
Having said that, Vale have had some success selling youngsters to bigger clubs this season. Michael Mills was sold to Premier League side Newcastle United, while Aston Villa reportedly broke their transfer record for a youth teamer when they snapped up Freddie Lawrie from the Valiants.
Is the Mirror story factually correct?
Well, it does appear to have at least one major hole in it. For one thing, while the Mirror claims the player has been given a professional contract “to allow Vale to cash in” Brazier has not signed a professional deal with the club. In fact, Academy head Will Ryder recently told journalist Michael Baggaley (in his excellent Port Vale newsletter) that “Liam is an apprentice at the club. We haven’t got into any further discussions with him (about signing a contract).”
So, are the Valiants bemused by this story?
It appears so. In the same interview with Baggaley, Ryder commented “I was pretty baffled if I am honest when I was sent the (Sun) article. Generally if there is interest in a player a club will reach out to you. I have had absolutely no contact with Borussia Dortmund (the club the Sun said were leading the race to sign Brazier) or any other clubs around Liam Brazier.
The story doesn’t appear to be based in reality does it?
That appears to be the case. While Brazier has done really well to play for the first-team already and a big money club from a European giant would be a no brainer for Vale to accept, the club clearly seem bemused by this story. Furthermore, Ryder has expressed concerns over how it will affect the youngster. He added: “We have checked with Liam to make sure he is okay. People have to realise when stories are written that it does have an impact on the person.”