Liverpool transfer news: Midfielder opens up on future plans amid Celtic, Rangers rumours

Liverpool midfielder Luca Stephenson has admitted that he ‘cannot predict what’s around the corner’ amid uncertainty over his long-term future at club level.

The 22-year-old joined the Reds at Under-15 level and worked his way through the club’s youth ranks before going on to make over 80 appearances for the Under-18 and Under-21 sides.

Stephenson then played 34 times on loan at League Two outfit Barrow in the 2023-24 campaign, and he has since enhanced his development on loan in Scotland with Dundee United, where he has spent almost two full seasons.

In his first season with the Tangerines, the Durham-born youngster was named the club’s Young Player of the Season after helping them secure a European qualification place.

After featuring for Liverpool in pre-season last summer, Stephenson returned to Dundee United and has impressed in a variety of midfield and defensive positions, contributing with five goals and four assists in 32 games across all competitions.

Stephenson’s performances are understood to have caught the attention of Old Firm giants Celtic and Rangers, with Football Insider claiming that the Glaswegian pair are tracking his progress ahead of a potential summer move.

Celtic, Rangers, English clubs tracking Liverpool’s Stephenson

Rangers’ interest in Stephenson comes at a time when speculation over the future of long-serving right-back James Tavernier is rife, with his contract due to expire in the summer.

Clubs in England have also been credited with an interest in Stephenson, but he remains non-committal regarding his next steps, prioritising a strong showing for Arne Slot’s Liverpool during pre-season.

“Obviously you can’t predict what’s around the corner, especially in football – it’s a weird sport at times,” Stephenson told Liverpool’s official website.

“I’ve got seven games left here now. Just keep on adding as many games that I can, goals, assists and hopefully wins for the team here. Take a nice little break in the summer and then try to come back and hit the ground running in pre-season and see where that takes me.

“There’s going to be a big number of first-team lads that are going to be away at the World Cup.

“The chances of going away to America [for pre-season] might increase and maybe the number of minutes might increase than what I might have had in the past couple of years while I’ve been away.

“If I’m lucky enough to get that opportunity then absolutely brilliant, yeah, and I’ll have felt like I’ve earned this from my hard work again this season.”

Liverpool's Stephenson has grown into an important player for Dundee United

Stephenson captained Dundee United for the first time in a Scottish Premiership match against Motherwell last month, highlighting his status as a key first-team player for head coach Jim Goodwin.

“To be fair, it’s a lot of credit to the gaffer and the confidence he instilled with me from the minute I walked through the door there,” he said. “Last season when I first went in, I had a decent start but made a couple of mistakes.

“I kind of got us knocked out of the cup quarter-final at Motherwell, giving away a penalty, but he stuck with me and the trust he put in me after those games, he didn’t take me out, he just kept me in the team and gave me that confidence.

“When we got to the summer this year and he wanted to take me back, I knew that he could help me take my game another step up again and I knew the trust he would have in me if I kept on putting in the kind of performances.

“I knew it would only be a benefit for me and the kind of environment he’s created within the training ground with all the staff, it’s an enjoyable place for me to play football and learn at such a young age.”

Stephenson, who has played 66 times in total for Dundee United, could next be in action for the Tangerines when they travel to Ibrox to face Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on April 4.