Rhian Brewster now as former Liverpool wonderkid suffers season-ending injury

Rhian Brewster has undergone surgery on a knee injury and will miss the rest of the season for Derby, with the former Liverpool striker vowing he will be back next term

Rhian Brewster's season is over(Image: Getty Images)

Rhian Brewster has declared he will return fighting fit for next season after the Derby striker went under the knife for a knee injury.

The forward, who graduated from Liverpool's academy, is recuperating from an operation after sustaining a blow to the knee during the 1-0 win over Birmingham City prior to the international break.

Scans revealed a cartilage problem, meaning Brewster will miss the remainder of the campaign. His absence will be a significant setback for Derby, having netted seven goals this season following his free transfer from Sheffield United last summer. However, the former Liverpool man insists he will be raring to go once more, having conceded that his season is over.

"The highs and the lows," he wrote on Instagram. "Not how I wanted my season to end like this, but I’ll be back, raring to go for the new season. But now it’s time to recover and cheer on the boys for a big push at the end of the season."

Manager Eustace acknowledged that Brewster's absence will be keenly felt by Derby as the team faces a demanding run-in, with the club sitting four points adrift of the top six.

Throughout the season, Brewster has featured on the left wing, as a No. 10, and as a center-forward, highlighting his adaptability.

Brewster started his career at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Derby has been dogged by injuries to key players all season, with Carlton Morris, Sondre Langas, Max Johnston, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and now Brewster all having spent time on the treatment table.

Eustace is keen to prevent further injuries as his squad continues to feel the strain, and speaking about Brewster's setback, he said: "He's had a lot of assists, he's scored goals over the last seven or eight games, and he was getting stronger and stronger.

"To lose him when he's in a really good moment is really disappointing. He did it in the Birmingham game, and he just took a nasty knock on his knee.

"Obviously, we were assessing that this week, but unfortunately, he's had the surgery and he's out for the rest of the season. But I think we've shown all season when we've had setbacks and disappointments that players have stepped up.

"We are running out of players now, though, as you can see from the bench. We don't want any more injuries, that's for sure, but whoever's stepped up has certainly done well."

What happened to Rhian Brewster?

Brewster became a household name after helping England win the U17 World Cup in 2017, finishing as the tournament's leading scorer. He graduated from Liverpool's academy and was part of the club's 2018-19 Champions League-winning squad.

After just four first-team games for the Reds, Brewster completed a £23.5 million ($31.1 million) move to Sheffield United in pursuit of regular Premier League soccer. Yet the move didn't work out as planned, as he scored just nine goals in five years at Bramall Lane.

Last season was Brewster's best with the Blades, as he stayed fit for most of the campaign to score four goals, including the winner against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Yet the striker failed to agree to terms on a new contract and joined Derby last summer.