Hardy is a 21-year-old forward from the Wirral who was previously at
Manchester City‘s academy and has scored 40 goals in 80 games for ‘Brentford B’.
Brentford have
confirmed the move to the European Champions, but Hardy has already joined up with his new club and was on the bench for the Reds’ Under-23s against
Man City on Sunday afternoon.
Brentford’s B team coach said: “He’s perhaps come to the end of his time with the club in terms of the strategy, and to go to a club the size of Liverpool can only be good for him.
“The club are flying at the moment, they’re European champions, and potential
Premier League winners, so being in and around that environment can only be good for Joe. He’s certainly going from an environment here that has prepared him properly.
“We’ve said it in recent months, that not all of our players will go on to play for Brentford’s first team, but what we want to do is give them a career and this is a step forward in Joe’s career and his mind to go to Liverpool and compete with the under-23 group and see where it takes him.”
Hardy arrives as another young Liverpool forward looks set to head out on loan, with
Rhian Brewster expected to join
Swansea City on Monday for the rest of the season.
A 21-year-old who has yet to make a first-team appearance seems like a strange signing, but he has a huge opportunity to impress for the Reds’ under-23s with Brewster heading out on loan and Paul Glatzel still sidelined.
Sounds like he is only filling a spot in the under 23's