It was an ordinary afternoon and the conversation with his father, Ian, had started off like most others. It was so unexceptionable, in fact, that Rhian Brewster can’t quite recall where it happened or what exactly prompted its modification into a career-defining discussion.

Then 14 and perched in the top tier of Chelsea’s academy prospects, the forward arrived at a realisation that required decisive action.

“There was nothing special or different about that day,” Brewster tells JOE in Liverpool’s idiosyncratic Baltic Triangle area. “It was after football, and as usual, my dad and I spoke about how it went and the areas I wanted to do extra work on. We then got talking about players who were doing well at the academy and ones that had done so in the past. I realised all the names we were mentioning hadn't played for Chelsea’s first-team and there didn’t seem to be a chance for those still at the club to get promoted to the seniors.

“I spent lot of time thinking about that and I kept asking myself why that was. There were some unbelievable youngsters at the academy. It became clear that the problem was opportunities and that they weren’t being made available, even to guys we thought would 100 per cent move up.

“I thought ‘Okay I think I’m good enough, but do they actually believe I am good enough to eventually make it in the first team?’

“At the time, I didn’t see any signs that it was possible to push for that with any player there, so the question sort of answered itself.

“I didn’t want to leave because I’d been there for so long, I did love Chelsea and they played a big part in my early development. I was enjoying my time there and I made so many friends for life. I knew that it wasn’t about what was comfortable and the easy option though, but what was best for me.

“I looked at a lot of clubs and their plans, but Liverpool stood out to me. I liked their approach to development and things just felt right. They were the best choice for me then and they still are now.

“I’m very glad I took the decision, that I was clear in my thinking. So many people were saying it’s a big thing for a kid to consider, but I didn’t look at it like that.

“I knew I wanted to be a professional footballer, I knew it wouldn’t be a smooth journey and I was determined to do whatever was necessary to put me on the right path.”

Brewster’s inner circle were not astounded by his clarity of thought and courage to make a such a sizeable change at a young age. It is, they say, a discernible characteristic of the teenager that frames his story as it flows.

His mother, Hulya Hassan, labels her son “very determined,” while his father describes him as “unassuming, but assertive with football.” Leon Anderson, the player’s representative and director at F2 Talent, picks “assured and committed” as appropriate tags for his client.

“I’m laid-back, I love to have a laugh and I can be childish, but when it comes to football and things I’m passionate about, I take it very seriously,” the 18-year-old says.

“My dad told me that as a baby I would be happiest when I had a ball and my mum said it used to be a nightmare to take it off me, even when I was two years old.”

Brewster laughs when his football ancestry becomes a talking point. “My dad thinks he was a really good,” he reveals, accompanied by a facepalm. “He only played semi-pro and was a goalkeeper, so I definitely didn’t get it from him!

“Since I could walk, I would go watch him play and have a kickabout with his friends. Looking back, I suppose I was just built with a love for the game.”

Brewster came fitted with obvious talent too, which by age seven, had attracted the attention of West Ham, Arsenal, Charlton and Chelsea.