Liverpool Legend's Cousin & England Youth International Joins Reds From Manchester City

Liverpool have signed England Under-17 star Bobby Duncan, after he ended his six-year association with Manchester City.

Duncan is the cousin of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and is following in his footsteps by signing a three-year professional contract at Anfield, with the Telegraph reporting that Liverpool have paid £200,000 to secure his services.

The 17-year-old has been training away from City in recent months and was hesitating on signing a professional contract at the Etihad Stadium, as he felt that his future lay elsewhere.

He confirmed his exit on social media earlier this week.

“It’s been an amazing six years at Manchester City,” he wrote.

“It was a difficult decision for me and my family but the time is right for a new challenge and fulfil my dreams and potential elsewhere.”

Duncan has played for England at Under-16 and Under-17 level, becoming the first Englishman ever to score a hat-trick against Brazil when he netted three in a 4-3 friendly win in 2016.

With academy opportunities increasingly rare for Duncan over the last year, there had been a lot of speculation that he would leave City and the family links to Gerrard meant that Liverpool was always one of the clubs mentioned.

He would have been playing under his cousin's management if Gerrard had kept his job in Liverpool's academy, but the Reds legend left the club to take his first senior management position as Rangers boss.

This move shows the different directions the two clubs' academies are going in. Duncan joins Rhian Brewster in signing his first professional contract at Anfield this summer, but City have lost another star prospect after Jadon Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund last summer. Duncan will officially become a Liverpool player on July 1.