Former Liverpool prospect Yan Dhanda has expressed his gratitude for the role the Reds' Academy coaching staff played in his development as a player.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joined the club at youth level in 2013, having previously been on the books of West Bromwich Albion. Dhanda remained with the Reds until 2018 and had become a member of the under-23s' side during his final campaign in 2017/18. He was also part of the squad that claimed the 2017 Lancashire Senior Cup.
A desire to play senior football fuelled his desire to leave Liverpool in May 2018, leading to a move to Championship side Swansea City. Dhanda's career with the Jacks could not have got off to a better start, scoring a winning goal on his first-team debut against Sheffield United.
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Regular first-team starts proved hard to come by at the Liberty Stadium in the end, having featured for Swansea a total of 62 times across four years and making only three league appearances last term. Dhanda has now taken on a new challenge at Scottish Premiership side Ross County and feels well-prepared for this next step in his career.
Neil Critchley was one coach the Tipton-born star worked under his time at the Reds' Kirkby base, who left Liverpool himself in 2020 to become Blackpool manager and recently accepted a job role to become an assistant of Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa. Describing the influence such individuals have had in shaping his progression as a player, Dhanda told World Football Index : "The best thing about being in the academies of West Brom and Liverpool is that I worked with some of the best coaches in England that are now either first team managers or first team coaches. I always knew I was working with great coaches and all the coaches that I worked with have to date have supported me a lot in different ways.”
Dhanda will wear the No.10 shirt at Ross County and represents a proud moment for the former England under-17 international, who looked up to fellow ex-Red Philippe Coutinho growing up. "I have always wanted to wear number 10 since I was a little boy," he explained. "I looked up to players such as Ronaldinho, Eden Hazard, Coutinho so I am very happy to have the number I’ve always dreamt of."
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