Sheffield United to offer David Brooks new contract to warn-off Liverpool and Everton interest

Liverpool have joined the race to sign Sheffield United attacker David Brooks. The 20-year-old has played a key role in the Blades' impressive start to the campaign and was named man-of-the-match in the recent derby win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Brooks' potential was rewarded at the end of last season with a new deal, which purportedly runs until 2019, but according to The Sun the Championship outfit are looking to tie him down to fresh terms following his remarkable impact this term.

The former Halifax Town loanee has made three assists in 11 appearances this term, performances which have earned him a call-up to the Wales squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and the Republic of Ireland. He could yet make his international debut should Gareth Bale be unable to shake off a calf problem.

Everton were linked with a move for Brooks in the summer after his supposed loan switch to Chesterfield fell through, following the completion of Ched Evans' return to Bramall Lane. And it now appears that Liverpool are the latest club to show an interest and could yet make a move in January to acquire the player.

But manager Chris Wilder has steadfastly denied any intention to sell the forward in the winter window. "He (Brooks) will not be going anywhere (in January), I have said that," the Blades boss said, according to The Sheffield Star. "We are building something here. There are always casualties along the way when you do that and, yes, we are already looking to January ourselves. But, like I say, we are building.

"We want to keep hold of all our players, especially the ones who are doing well. Brooko is going nowhere. He is learning off good people off the pitch and good players on the training pitch. I always think that is the biggest thing.

"Myself, Al (assistant boss Alan Knill) and the coaching staff can add bits and pieces to his game. He has got natural ability, but the biggest thing for me is him being among those players, who are a first-class group.

"I am a big believer that if you have got good people and good characters around, they do half your job for you. His progression is there for everyone to see. He is producing outstanding performances, which are there for all to see."

Brooks started his football career with Manchester City aged seven but move to United in 2014 before signing a professional contract the following year. He spent one month with non-league Halifax in 2015 and scored once in five outings before returning to the club and making his debut in the EFL Trophy against Leicester City Under-23s.

The England youth international made four appearances in all last season but appeared destined to leave in the summer before United cut the deal short. Amid their impressive start to the season which sees the club third in the Championship after 11 matches, Brookes has caught the eye of a host of clubs including Liverpool, who have two youngsters of their own in the latest Wales squad in the form of goalkeeper Danny Ward and winger Ben Woodburn.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool are open to signing new players in the January transfer window following an indifferent start to the campaign which has seen the Reds win just three of their seven league games and fail to prevail in either of their Champions League group matches. One theme of Klopp's spell in charge has been his commitment to giving opportunities to young players, meaning Brooks would not have to wait long for first team opportunities if he made the move to Anfield.