Liverpool have sent scouts to watch Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington, with Barcelona also reportedly interested in the Australian centre-back after having an opening bid rejected.
Herrington's Rapid Rise
Herrington has emerged as one of the world’s most exciting young defenders after his rapid rise over the last couple of seasons. The 18-year-old came through at Brisbane Roar before joining MLS side Colorado Rapids in January this year. Since joining, Herrington has played every minute of every MLS game, with such form seeing him make his senior international debut in March.
The teenager went on to become the youngest member of Australia’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, but he has been an unused substitute in his country’s first two games against Turkey and the US. Despite that, Herrington is still attracting interest from several top European clubs, with The Athletic reporting that Barcelona have already seen an opening bid rejected for the defender. Liverpool are also said to be tracking the Aussie and sent scouts to watch him in action earlier in the season.
Praise from Rapids President and Teammate
Speaking earlier in the season after Herrington’s arrival, Rapids president Padraig Smith told Yahoo Sports: ‘He is an exceptionally talented young man with the world at his feet. When our scouts identified him, and we began the recruitment process, we knew he had a high ceiling.’
Meanwhile, Herrington’s teammate and former Arsenal defender Rob Holding said: ‘He’s super composed, super relaxed, on the ball, under pressure. He’s a really good player. He just keeps getting better and better each week.’
Herrington Stays Grounded Amid Transfer Speculation
Herrington, though, insists he was keen to keep his feet on the ground when asked about transfer speculation prior to the World Cup. ‘I just want to keep enjoying it, taking it day by day,’ he recently said. ‘I’m not really thinking too far in the future. It’s just Colorado, and now just focusing on the World Cup. That’s where my focus is at the moment; we’ll see what happens after that. But loving my football in Colorado, and we’ll see what happens.’
‘It’s the people in my circle, they keep me grounded and keep me humble. They tell me just to focus, take it day by day. They’ll sort everything else out. Just me, focus on the field, and just play the best I can every week, and that’s just sort of what I keep doing, just taking it week by week, and just game by game.’
Herrington could make his maiden World Cup appearance when Australia take on Paraguay in their final group-stage fixture next Friday.
