Sergi Canos left Liverpool in 2016 and is now a key part of Brentford’s high-flying Championship squad.
Sergi Canos had the opportunity to stay and wait for an opportunity at Liverpool or go out and make a name for himself elsewhere. Fortunately for Brentford fans, the Spanish schemer picked the latter option.
Canos was tipped for big things when he followed the likes of Hector Bellerin and Jon Toral in leaving Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy for England in 2013. But, after making just one appearance for the Reds in three years at Anfield, the Spain U19 international left for Norwich City for £2.5 million.
Just six months later, however, Canos returned to Brentford, the club he represented on loan during the 2015/16 season. And, speaking to the Guardian, the 21-year-old claimed Liverpool wanted to keep him but a desire for first-team football convinced him that his future did not lie on Merseyside.
“I took the decision I didn’t want to sign a new contract with Liverpool. They offered me five years more but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to be one more; I wanted to be important and I didn’t want to go on loan again,” Canos admitted.
“To sign for five more years at Liverpool, it meant that my career was going to depend on Liverpool, them making decisions for me.
“They didn’t offer me the opportunity to try and train and play for the first-team. I made my debut but it wasn’t a good thing, I don’t think. It was a good thing because then they could sell me for £2.5m to Norwich.”
With Sadio Mane, Xherdan Shaqiri, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Dominic Solanke all fighting for a place in Liverpool’s attack right now, it is difficult to imagine Canos playing regularly under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Instead, he is a key figure in a Brentford side fighting for promotion, featuring in all nine of their Championship games so far this season under Dean Smith.
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