Peterborough United centre-back Ronnie Edwards is on a five-man shortlist of players that Liverpool should look to sign from the Football League created by the Liverpool Echo, as reported by the Peterborough Telegraph.
The Echo put together a list of players in the lower leagues that Liverpool could look at signing this summer and Edwards is amongst them. The 20-year-old has been tipped to leave The Posh in a big money move and has, in the past, been linked with top-flight clubs such as Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has long discussed the eventual move to one of football’s big guns, claiming that the sale of Edwards could see the club be self-sustainable for three years and also that the centre-back will be sold for around £60 million in the future.
Who is Ronnie Edwards?
Edwards was born in Harlow in 2003 and joined Barnet at nine years of age before making his debut in December 2019 against Maidenhead. He would also feature in the playoff eliminators and captain the Bees Under 18s to a historic FA Youth Cup run before moving to Cambridgeshire in August 2020.
He was slowly introduced into the Peterborough first team during the 2020-21 season, with his game time limited to three EFL Trophy games and two League One appearances. However, the following season would see Edwards gain valuable experience as he made 34 appearances as Peterborough failed to maintain their status in the Championship for a second season.
He continued as one of the first-choice centre-backs, often being paired with Frankie Kent as the Posh scraped into the playoffs on the final day of the season before losing in record-breaking fashion to Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final. A total of 44 games in the 2022-23 season have helped to fuel even greater speculation about where Edwards may be playing his football next season.
Writer’s View
The Liverpool link, of course, may well be paper talk but with the performances of Edwards and the constant linking of clubs to his services, it is only a matter of time before he makes a big move.
Peterborough’s method of buying, developing and selling young talent is one to envy for many lower-league clubs with observers having to look no further than Ivan Toney as an example. The club seem to have a fantastic ability to pick up players from non-league and further develop them, Edward’s teammate Joe Taylor is another example of such a player. With MacAnthony holding the opinion that Edwards will be a £60 million player at some point, he will be keen to ensure his club is well compensated for their player and look to maintain a future interest.
For one so young to have been exposed to Championship and League One football as often as he has will add to the positives surrounding the former Bee. What Edwards will need to do is to make the right choice, somewhere that will afford him a chance of making the first team, even if not immediately (you would expect a loan move initially after any transfer), and not a club where youth is restricted.
