Owen Beck Player Profile – Liverpool FC

For a long time, left-back was a problem position at Liverpool Football Club. Whilst players like Fabio Aurelio were able to make a name for themselves, their fitness levels were such that they couldn’t impose themselves on the club and instead spent more time on the physio’s bench than the Liverpool one.

That all changed when the Reds signed Andy Robertson from Hull City for £8 million, even if the price and the place Liverpool signed him from didn’t initially impress. He became a vital part of the squad and helped the Reds to win the Champions League and the Premier League under Jürgen Klopp amongst other trophies.

While scouting Fabio Miretti, I noticed a fantastic solo run by a Liverpool player. Dribbled 3 Juve players like prime Gareth Bale.

I just knew it had to be Owen Beck.

Ian Rush's nephew is such a spectacular left-back.

Can't wait to see his first steps in senior football. pic.twitter.com/D01Jatvs22

— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) March 19, 2022

That didn’t stop the club trying to ensure that it would never be a problem position again, however. Kostas Tsimikas was brought in as Robertson’s backup and was affectionately known as the ‘Greek Scouser’, whilst Joe Gomez was regularly asked to play there too. On top of that, the Academy worked at producing left-backs that the manager could turn to if needs be, with Luke Chambers also playing as a left back and Calum Scanlon also working hard to make the left-back spot his own in the Under-21s.

In terms of the future, however, it looks as though Owen Beck will be the next in line to take the crown when Robertson moves on.

Who is Owen Beck?

Born Owen Michael Beck on the ninth of August 2002 in Bodelwyddan in Denbighsire, Wales, Beck joined the junior team of his home town club, Flint Town United. Surprisingly, he didn’t begin life as a defender, instead being a striker who knew how to find the back of the net. In fact, when he was just ten-years-old he was presented with the Flintshire Footballer of the Year award by Ian Rush.

The presentation probably wasn’t as overawing for Beck as it might have been for other Welsh footballers, however, given the fact that he is the grandson of Ian Rush’s sister. As a result, he probably knew the Liverpool great quite well and didn’t mind shaking his hand.

Good result for the Under 23 side last night, beating Derby 1-0 at the wonderful Loughborough University Stadium. How I miss that ground. Owen Beck was superb, got a future has the nephew of Ian Rush. Hopefully with Liverpool

— The Fanzine Red All Over The Land (@TheFanzine1) January 11, 2022

From Flint Town United Beck made the move to Merseyside, but not with Liverpool. Instead, he signed for Tranmere Rovers, the Wirral-based lower league side. He didn’t spend long at Tranmere before he was signed by Stoke City, which was when he made the move from being an attacker to start playing in the full-back position.

When Ian Rush is your great uncle, it probably isn’t all that wise to play in the position that he made records in anyway. As he began to learn the position of left-back, Beck was spotted by Liverpool’s scouts and was signed up to the Academy, arriving from Stoke City to join the Under-13s team.

The fact that we still have Sepp van den Berg, Tyler Morton, Fabio Carvalho, and Owen Beck joining this @LFC youth team is scary.

Just to name a few too. pic.twitter.com/r737AJvHio

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) February 28, 2024

Initially he struggled to make an impact, hardly standing out in his age group and having he relatively small size held against him. As he grew older he also started to bulk out, meaning that by the 2019-2020 season he was able to be called up into the Under-18s team and could also play in Liverpool Under-19s UEFA Youth League side.

When the 2020-2021 season got underway, Beck was called up to play in the Under-23s squad, showing that he was making the grade and impressing each time he was asked to move up a gear. In the June of 2020 that endeavour was rewarded when Beck was given his first professional contract with the Reds.

Gaining Experience on Loan

During the pre-season for the 2021-2022 campaign, Owen Beck made a couple of appearances for Liverpool against Athletic Club and CA Osasuna. On the 27th of October he also made his first-team debut, appearing alongside a number of other young prospects in a game against Preston North End in the League Cup in a match at Deepdale that the Reds won 2-0.

It was clear that he was talented, but that first-team opportunities were going to be few and far between. As a result, a deal was struck to send Beck on loan for the whole of the 2022-2023 campaign, gaining some experience of European football with Portuguese side Famalicão.

Owen Beck vs St. Johnstone:

38/48 Passes
5 Key Passes!
6/15 Crosses
1 Big Chance Created
4/7 Ground Duels
3/3 Dribbles!
1 Assist

He is flying in Scotland! pic.twitter.com/GoSS5Hca0C

— ???? (@LFCApproved) February 11, 2024

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out in Portugal and so the loan was cancelled and he was recalled on the 31st of August, having made no appearances. He was immediately sent to Bolton Wanderers, joining up with his best friend Conor Bradley who was also on loan with the North-West club.

He made his debut for Wanderers in the November during a 0-0 draw with Cambridge United, but the loan move was cancelled by mutual consent in the January of 2023 when it was clear that he wasn’t getting the experience that Liverpool had hoped for. After remaining with the Reds for a time, another loan move was soon on the cards.

That's 3⃣ assists in his last 5⃣ games for Owen Beck

The Reds love producing a full-back #LFC pic.twitter.com/gNx3BmRnRK

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) February 13, 2024

That was to Dundee, the Scottish Premiership side, who Beck signed for in a season-long loan on the third of July 2023. This time, the loan was to prove profitable for all concerned. He made his debut in a 1-0 win over Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish League Cup, impressing during the early part of the season to such an extent that he picked up the Man of the Match award in a home draw with Kilmarnock.

He also managed to get on the scoresheet against Hibernian, quickly becoming a fan favourite and earning plaudits for his performances. It is a sign of how valued he is by Liverpool that when both Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas were injured in the January of 2024, it was Beck that the club turned to rather than either of the youngsters in the Academy.

Owen Beck straight back with an assist for Dundee last night. Picking up where he left off. pic.twitter.com/TW3hmBBQNr

— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) January 31, 2024

He was recalled from his loan and came on in a Premier League game against Bournemouth, meaning that he had played for the maximum of three clubs and therefore couldn’t go on loan anywhere else. When Liverpool’s injury crisis at left-back eased, a deal was made to return Beck to Dundee for the rest of the campaign.

He started in his first game back in Scotland, getting an assist for the club’s only goal during a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen. With Dundee challenging for the top six, Beck suffered an injury that sidelined him for ‘four to six weeks’, returning to Liverpool in order to get treatment and missing a chunk of the club’s games.

A Talent for the Future

Beck’s time at Dundee gave him some valuable experience, making 20 appearances before Liverpool had recalled him in the January ahead of an FA Cup tie with Arsenal. Strangely, he was unable to play in that game on account of the fact that he had been booked against Bonnyrigg Rose and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, meaning that he had to serve a suspension.

When the loan move with Dundee was cancelled, the likes of Millwall, Hull City, Coventry City and Stoke City all got in touch with the Reds to discuss potentially taking him on loan for the rest of the season. An enquiry was also made by Celtic, looking to bolster their left-back options.

Owen Beck has rejoined Dundee on loan until the end of the season.

Good luck Owen pic.twitter.com/UrLndWwcLE

— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) January 30, 2024

The defenders would’ve had to compete for a place there so that was quickly ruled out, but it was the Celtic players who informed the management that they should take a look at him. Although Celtic defeated Dundee 5-0 when the teams faced each other, Beck’s performance was impressive enough to mean that the players who were up against him had only positive things to say.

Rangers were also interested in bringing him in, but when he played for Liverpool in the Premier League it meant that his only destination for the rest of the season could be Dundee. Initially, the plan for the Reds was to use him over the remainder of the season, but the return to Scotland made the most sense.

Owen Beck back at Dundee putting in another good performance.

He created the most chances on the pitch tonight (3) and got himself an assist pic.twitter.com/z2A5L5r4Cz

— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) January 30, 2024

Now he is very much being looked at as one for the future, having gained decent experience during his Scottish Premiership loan. With Andy Robertson the wrong side of 30 and asked to put in lots of miles in the left-back spot, seeing whether Beck can do it at Liverpool will be high on Jürgen Klopp’s list of priorities.

Having played most of the available minutes for Dundee prior to his recall to Anfield in the January and then his groin injury, it is a sign that the youngster is someone who can do a job on the lefthand side of Liverpool’s defence. He was Laos in the top ten in Scotland for crosses, interceptions, tackles and assists.

A Wales International

Having impressed during his time at Dundee, it is perhaps no surprise that the Welsh national side decided to have a look at Owen Beck. With Liverpool having tied him down to a five-year deal in 2021, his pedigree is clear for all to see. He played for Wales as a schoolboy, then in the October of 2018 he was part of the Wales Under-17 team that took on Kazakhstan in a UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification match.

In the March of 2021 he was called up to the Under-21 nations side for a friendly against the Republic of Ireland, albeit being an unused substitute on the day. The same wasn’t true a few months later, however.

Like a knife through butter

A superb solo gôl by @Owenbeck02*!

*with a little help from @Lukejephcott11.

@sgorio #U21EURO | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/fe5zngz5CB

— Wales (@Cymru) November 12, 2021

Wales called Beck up again for the Euro 2023 qualifying match in the Under-21s, coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute during a 4-0 win. During a 7-0 win over Gibraltar in the November of 2021 he scored his first goal in the age group. His performances were enough to impress the senior management, who called Beck up to the senior squad for a friendly, also against Gibraltar.

Interestingly, he was also called up to the Under-21s, with Wales having to qualify that it was the senior squad that he would be working with during the international break, proving that the defender has a bright future ahead of him for both club and country.

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