Liverpool have rejected accusations of 'mentally bullying' 18-year-old striker Bobby Duncan, made by his agent Saif Rubie in a statement on Twitter. Rubie claimed the club held Duncan against his will after rejecting two loan offers, and that the player has not left his house for four days due to stress.
Rubie alleged that Liverpool's sporting director, Michael Edwards, refused to allow Duncan to join Fiorentina or Nordsjælland on loan with a view to a permanent transfer. He said Duncan, a cousin of Steven Gerrard, was told he could leave but then forced to stay, and that the club refused to offer a new contract with only one season left after this one.
Liverpool insist the allegations are unfounded and the statement contains inaccuracies. The club has not ruled out legal action over what it considers defamatory claims. A club spokesperson said they are disappointed by the 'unattributed comments and unfounded allegations' and will continue to work privately with the player.
Duncan joined Liverpool from Manchester City in August 2018 and played for Jürgen Klopp's first team in pre-season after scoring 32 goals for the under-18s last term. Liverpool regard him highly and believe he can progress with the under-23s.
