Toronto FC homegrown forward and Canadian youth international Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is training with Liverpool, sources tell MLSsoccer.com. He was previously on a training stint with Arsenal.
Marshall-Rutty, 17, made 11 appearances (four starts) for Toronto this year. He was the youngest player in club history to sign a Homegrown contract when he inked his deal at 15 years old. He is also the youngest player to be called up to the senior Canadian men's national team, though is yet to make his debut. A highly-rated talent, Marshall-Rutty was named to The Guardian's Next Generation list, honoring the world's best young players born in 2004.
European interest in the wonderkid is plentiful, including from UEFA Champions League clubs.
A source adds the expectation is that transfer offers will arrive soon, but given he doesn't turn 18 until June and doesn't hold a European Union passport, talks over any potential deal would be for summer 2022 at the earliest. That would be similar to Louisville City and Real Sociedad agreeing on a deal for Jonathan Gomez to go through after he turned 18, as well as Caden Clark joining RB Leipzig from New York Red Bulls. Both transfers will officially happen on January 1.
Toronto FC are in a transformational offseason, with Bob Bradley arriving as head coach and sporting director from LAFC. Bradley has a strong reputation for his developmental work with young players, which should bode well for Marshall-Rutty and TFC's other young talents.
Marshall-Rutty is the latest big-time prospect to come through the Canadian program, following the likes of Alphonso Davies (now of Bayern Munich), Jonathan David (Lille) and Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge).
