Bristol City midfielder Joe Morrell has revealed that he turned down a move to Liverpool as a youth player in order to stay on at Ashton Gate.
In 2012, Morrell signed a professional contract with the Robins at the age of just 15 and made his debut for the Bs3 outfit just a year later.
However, he is yet to cement a place in the side, making just six appearances in total, and has spent the majority of his career out on loan.
This season has without doubt been the 23-year-old's most impressive season to date, Morrell has been a key man for Lincoln City in League One and appeared five times for Wales, helping them to qualify for Euro 2020.
Morrell is set to return to City ahead of next season but, speaking to The Guardian, revealed that it could all have been very different as he nearly linked up with Harry Wilson, a friend from their time in the Wales youth setup, at Liverpool.
He said: "That is what made the rejection even weirder. I looked around Liverpool’s academy, I had sorted out where I was going to live, go to school and was prepared to leave.
“But after conversations with the then first-team manager [Derek McInnes] I decided Bristol City was the best place for me and signed a professional contract at 15, which is unheard of really, and made my debut at 16. I’ve gone the long way about it but I think I made the right decision.”
Next season looks set to be a make or break year at Ashton Gate for Morrell, with the midfielder's contract set to expire in 2021.
The exit of Josh Brownhill in January has left a hole in Lee Johnson's midfield and the 23-year-old may fancy himself as just the man to step up and fill it.
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The Verdict
City fans will no doubt love to hear that one of their up-and-coming young players rejected a move from Liverpool to remain at Ashton Gate.
Morrell has been hugely impressive for Lincoln and Wales this season and you'd imagine that Johnson will be excited about the prospect of having him in his squad next season.
It is going to be very interesting to see what sort of impact he will have.