Bobby Duncan enjoyed a very good debut for the Fiorentina youth team at the weekend.
The teenager left Liverpool on transfer deadline day after a controversial week. The Reds appeared to have little desire to sell Duncan, but some unfortunate claims and a real push to move led to a £1.8m transfer to Fiorentina. It was a fee far lower than his probable worth.
It would make sense if Duncan sees the first-team path at Fiorentina to be easier than at Liverpool. They are, after all, a smaller club and in a better position to take risks on young players.
Despite that, Duncan has started with the youth team. While the path may be easier and shorter, it’s still a path he needs to get down.
But he’s off to quick start thanks to a brace in Fiorentina’s 6-3 win over Bologna. It was an emphatic win and Duncan certainly played his part.
His first goal was an emphatic close-range header from a corner and he doubled his tally with a second-half penalty. No, they weren’t the most difficult of goals but it suggests Duncan is more than comfortable at that level.
But then, he clearly felt that way at Liverpool. He wants first-team football and if he continues to deliver like this, you’d imagine he’ll get it quickly.
We’ll need to see if Duncan enjoys a similar debut for the Fiorentina first-team before we really see Liverpool’s regret. For now, he’s simply proven that he can transfer his talents to the continent.
It’ll certainly be an interesting one to watch for Liverpool fans.
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