Liverpool back 30-goal Layton Stewart with new contract

Add as preferred source on Google

Liverpool handed Layton Stewart a new contract this week. It’s a sign that they see big things in the 18-year-old.

Layton Stewart has a new Liverpool contract and that’s particularly notable. Not in the least because he’s currently out with a serious injury.

Stewart suffered an ACL problem back in March, keeping him out indefinitely. He’s now undergoing a ‘period of rehabilitation’, with no mentioned return date.

It was a huge shame for everyone at Liverpool. Stewart only made the step up to Under 23 level this season as one of the most promising young players at the club.

The teenager had 15 Under 18 Premier League goals by the end of January. You can add another 12 goals at that level the previous season, too – Stewart’s U18 record stands at 25 games, 27 goals, 5 assists.

No wonder, then, that Liverpool moved him up a level this year. He bagged his first U23 goals in February, scoring in back-to-back games against Chelsea and Arsenal.

Altogether, Stewart is a player with 30 goals for the U18 and U23 sides over the last two seasons. He’s an absolute natural goalscorer and someone who appears to have a very bright future.

Liverpool just need to develop him correctly, starting with getting him completely comfortable at U23 level. And those goals in February suggested he was well on his way to doing just that.

Unfortunately, the injury hurts things significantly. Next season was supposed to be Stewart’s true test – he’d have had time to fit in and Liverpool could see exactly what he’s capable of.

Instead, that time will be further rehab, it seems.

Liverpool hand Layton Stewart a new contract

But Liverpool have shown real faith in Stewart with this new contract. They clearly believe he’ll return as good as he was.

After all, the wording in the announcement is that this is a ‘long term’ contract – not a token deal to keep him at the club for a bit. Liverpool are investing time into Stewart, despite the injury.

The Reds do have previous for this, too. They signed Paul Glatzel to a new long-term deal after his own serious knee injury in 2019.

Now, after another spell out this season, he’s finally back and starting to show promise once again. Liverpool will hope for a similar story with Stewart – though, without the extra spell out next season.

The Reds have a lot of exciting young talent on their books right now, with Stewart quite high on the list. And this new contract confirms that Liverpool see it that way, too – they’re certainly not forgetting about him.

They’re backing him to do something special, overcome his injury and turn into the player we all think he could become.