20-year-old Reds defender George Johnston could be set to move to Feyenoord in the Netherlands this summer, according to Football Insider.
The report claims the Dutch side are in ‘advanced talks’ over signing the centre-back on a permanent deal, though there are another three weeks before the transfer window closes for Eredivisie sides.
Johnston has been a regular for the Reds’ U23s over the last 12 months or so, and also played in the UEFA Youth League. He hasn’t come close to making a first-team appearance, however, with 17-year-olds Ki-Jana Hoever and Sepp van den Berg both ahead of him in the pecking order.
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Feyenoord believe that they can offer regular first-team football faster than the Reds – which is likely to be tempting for the Manchester-born player. West Bromwich Albion have also been linked with a move for him in the past.
Johnston played 36 times for Neil Critchley’s U23s last season, but with Hoever and Van den Berg around, a new centre-back partnership could be set to form at that level, meaning his chances would be even more restricted.
A move away from the Reds, particularly to the Netherlands, where youth is regularly trusted to flourish, could be the perfect opportunity for Johnston to kick-start his career.