Sheffield United’s Jack O’Connell admits he dreams of joining Liverpool

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Jack O’Connell will be playing against his boyhood club Liverpool in the Premier League next season after storming the Championship.

Jack O’Connell may be loving life at Sheffield United right now but the defender admits that the chance to join boyhood club Liverpool is a ‘dream’ he would struggle to turn down, speaking to Sky Sports.

A 25-year-old who was born in Liverpool, O’Connell was never handed the chance to play for the Merseyside giants at youth level, leaving the city of his birth to join Blackburn Rovers all the way back in 2011.

But O’Connell has carved out a terrific reputation for himself elsewhere in the North, starting 41 games for a Sheffield United side who surprisingly sealed a return to the Premier League last season after finishing second in the Championship.

As a result, the ball-playing centre-back will have the chance to play against the club he supports in the top flight. And, in an interview with Sky, O’Connell has admitted that he still harbours hope of pulling on the famous red shirt one day.

“I’m a massive Liverpool fan and went to the Champions League final in Madrid – but couldn’t really enjoy the game because I ended up analysing them as opposition next season,” he said.

“I’m guessing staying up is the main priority (for Sheffield United) but seeing Jordan Henderson lift the trophy gave me goosebumps, and I’d love it to be me one day.

“Obviously I am happy at Sheffield United. I’ve just signed a new contract and I’ve never thought about leaving, but my dream as a kid was to play for Liverpool and if they ever come knocking, although unlikely, it would be hard to turn them down.”

There is one way that O’Connell can make his dream come true.

Should the former Rochdale and Brentford stopper make the step up to Premier League level with ease and prove that he belongs in the first division, he will surely put himself in the shop window.

And Liverpool have a long and successful history when it comes to snapping up rising talents before turning them into established world-class performers.