Liverpool are ‘disappointed’ by allegations made by a representative of Bobby Duncan, accusing the club and sporting director Michael Edwards of ‘mentally bullying’ the player.
Saif Rubie, who works closely with Duncan, has claimed in a lengthy statement posted on Twitter that the 18-year-old will never play for Liverpool again after being refused a loan move this summer.
Duncan has been the subject of interest from Fiorentina, with a £1.6m bid from the Serie A club rejected at the weekend. Loan interest from Nordsjaelland was dismissed last week.
Rubie claims Liverpool and Edwards have refused to consider any offers for Duncan and are holding him at the club “against his will”, despite believing that he will never be good enough to play for the first team.
A Liverpool statement on Wednesday, made on behalf of both the club and Edwards, described the allegations as ”inaccurate speculation” and ”inflammatory statements”.
1/7 Liverpool’s hardest and easiest Champions League draws
The Reds are defending their title after clinching a sixth European crown in Madrid last season
EPA
2/7 Toughest draw from pot 2: Atletico Madrid
Few teams possess the defensive capabilities to subdue Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but if any side can keep those players at bay, it’s Diego Simeone’s
AFP/Getty Images
3/7 Toughest draw from pot 3: Inter Milan
Inter are a genuine dark horse this year, much improved by the additions of coach Antonio Conte and striker Romelu Lukaku
AFP/Getty Images
4/7 Toughest draw from pot 4: Lokomotiv Moscow
A trip to Lokomotiv is far from ideal, especially given that Liverpool can’t afford any slip-ups in the league
Getty Images
5/7 Easiest draw from pot 2: Benfica
Benfica are the least threatening option in a pot with both Madrid clubs, Dortmund, Napoli, Ajax and Shaktar
AFP/Getty Images
6/7 Easiest draw from pot 3: Club Brugge
Brugge are seemingly the safest draw from pot three, should they, as expected, emerge from their play-off with LASK. They could prove attractive with Inter, Valencia, Lyon and Leverkusen lurking from pot three
Bongarts/Getty Images
7/7 Easiest draw from pot 4: Slavia Prague
There a few potential banana skins in pot four (see Leipzig, Galatasaray, Lokomotiv). Slavia Prague shouldn’t be one of them.
Getty Images
1/7 Liverpool’s hardest and easiest Champions League draws
The Reds are defending their title after clinching a sixth European crown in Madrid last season
EPA
2/7 Toughest draw from pot 2: Atletico Madrid
Few teams possess the defensive capabilities to subdue Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but if any side can keep those players at bay, it’s Diego Simeone’s
AFP/Getty Images
3/7 Toughest draw from pot 3: Inter Milan
Inter are a genuine dark horse this year, much improved by the additions of coach Antonio Conte and striker Romelu Lukaku
AFP/Getty Images
4/7 Toughest draw from pot 4: Lokomotiv Moscow
A trip to Lokomotiv is far from ideal, especially given that Liverpool can’t afford any slip-ups in the league
Getty Images
5/7 Easiest draw from pot 2: Benfica
Benfica are the least threatening option in a pot with both Madrid clubs, Dortmund, Napoli, Ajax and Shaktar
AFP/Getty Images
6/7 Easiest draw from pot 3: Club Brugge
Brugge are seemingly the safest draw from pot three, should they, as expected, emerge from their play-off with LASK. They could prove attractive with Inter, Valencia, Lyon and Leverkusen lurking from pot three
Bongarts/Getty Images
7/7 Easiest draw from pot 4: Slavia Prague
There a few potential banana skins in pot four (see Leipzig, Galatasaray, Lokomotiv). Slavia Prague shouldn’t be one of them.
Getty Images
“Liverpool Football Club is aware of and disappointed by the unattributed comments and unfounded allegations that have been made in the media regarding one of our players,” it read.
“As the interests of the player in question are not best served by either inaccurate speculation, inflammatory statements or public discourse, we will be making no further comment.
“We will, however, continue our efforts to work privately with the player to find resolution in the best interests of all involved.”
Duncan, who joined Liverpool from Manchester City in 2018, retweeted his agent’s post without making any further comment.
The 18-year-old scored 32 goals for Liverpool’s Under-18s side last season, including a crucial equaliser against his former club in the FA Youth Cup final.
