Exclusive: Player agrees terms with US club days after quitting Liverpool

EXCLUSIVE By Pete O’Rourke

Corey Whelan is poised to join US side Phoenix Rising on a free transfer days after leaving Liverpool, Football Insider understands.

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Whelan is a free agent after his 13-year spell at Anfield ended when his contract expired at the end of last month.

A Liverpool source has told Football Insider that Phoenix Rising have beaten a number of clubs in England and across Europe to the signing of Whelan.

The US outfit, who play in the the USL Championship, the second tier of the American league system and are part-owned by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, have convinced the 21-year-old to head across the Atlantic.

Former Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers defender Peter Ramage is the assistant coach of Phoenix Rising and he has played an instrumental role in the club’s pursuit of Whelan.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, who joined Liverpool from Crewe at the age of nine, never made a first-team appearance for Liverpool, but he did captain the club’s Under-23s.

He two loan spells away from Liverpool during the last two seasons to gain valuable first-team experience.

The right-back, who can also play at centre-back, had a six-month loan spell at Yeovil during the 2017/18 season, playing 11 games and scoring once.

Whelan also had a six-month stint at former club Crewe last season, making 18 appearances and scoring one goal.

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