There was no lack of excitement at Merseyside when a La Masia graduate decided to move abroad and join Liverpool at the age of 16. Spanish youngster Sergi Canos was a hot prospect in his country back then, yet he chose to experience Premier League football and joined the youth ranks of the Reds.
Soon he settled with Liverpool reserves and impressed with U18s. His impressive form attracted many suitors who asked for his services on a short-term loan deal. Liverpool let him join Championship outfit Brentford on a loan which was later extended for the entire campaign due to his on-field excellence with the Bees.
The winger made 38 Championship appearances and netted seven times during 2015-16 season. Also, Canos made his debut for the Reds under Jurgen Klopp who handed him a late substitute appearance against West Bromwich Albion at Hawthorns in their last Premier League outing of the previous campaign.
“My dream is to return to Liverpool and get a Klopp hug”, said the Spanish teenager during his spell with the Bees and was overjoyed with an unforeseen debut that he described as “dream come true” and “the best 10 minutes of my life”.
The youngster might have had the best opportunity to flourish his career under the German gaffer who is highly acclaimed for grooming talented youths and making them world class. However, Canos made a U-turn in summer and rejected a new deal from Liverpool as the club did not agree to match his wage demands.
With less than a year remaining on his contract, Canos reportedly asked for 10k/week wages, very much divergent to Liverpool’s 3k/week valuation which is quite reasonable considering the payment structure for their academy youths. He did not extend his contract and made a £2.5 million switch to Championship outfit Norwich City who got relegated after a dismal 2015-16 Premier League campaign.
But the move now seems to be a suicidal one as he has made only five appearances for the Canaries this season. He was handed only one start in his three Championship appearances and despite netting a brace in EFL Cup win against Coventry City, Norwich boss Alex Neil has not relied on the youngster and he is now playing with the club’s u23s.
The unsettled winger is now seeking for a winter move in order to have game-time. As per latest reports several fellow Championship outfits have shown interest in the 19-year old with Brentford and Leeds United currently the front-runners to acquire his services.
The news, however, has baffled the Norwich fans who believe he should have had more senior opportunities. Canos is still a rookie and has a long road ahead. But the bizarre move has hindered his growth and leaving Liverpool might see a bright future turned into mediocrity in coming days.
