Antonee Robinson has become one of the most impressive full-backs in the Premier League over the past couple of years at Fulham. Athletic, technically-gifted and positionally intelligent, the USA international looks destined for big things.
The 27-year-old has been linked with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool having proved himself to be a complete left-back, adept at nullifying opposition wingers and creating chances at the other end.
Liverpool could be the next destination for Robinson, who has revealed an interesting anecdote from a recent game against the Reds.
Tasked with marking Mohamed Salah, the Fulham defender did so well that he was singled out for praise by the Egyptian. In an interview with The Athletic, Robinson said: “We played Liverpool in the first game of the season two years ago. We drew 2-2. I remember saying to my friends, who are all big Liverpool fans and came down because it was around my birthday, ‘Lads if Salah scores or gets an assist this game, I’ll pay for dinner tonight’, so I put a bit of added pressure on myself.
“And he did, annoyingly. But I remember him saying to me midway through the game, ‘How old are you?’. So he didn’t really know who I was. I must have been 24, 25.
“He just nodded and carried on with the game. Then, after the game, I asked for his shirt, so we swapped shirts and we were just chatting and he was like, ‘You were the best player this game, keep up what you’re doing’. That was very nice of him.”
Robinson is clearly impressing the right people, then, and it would be no surprise if he does make the switch to Anfield at some point in the near future, with Andy Robertson turning 31 in March.
If Robinson’s excellent form continues throughout the season at Fulham, a big-money move feels like an inevitability. And whoever pries him away from Craven Cottage will have a player ready-made to thrive in the top flight, with the mindset to match the division's best players.
He told The Athletic: “I always go into games thinking, ‘I’m playing against a winger now and I don’t want him to get the better of me’. I feel like I can read where a player is going fairly well. But the ability to not fly in, to stand them up and then pick my time to close in on someone, I do really enjoy that.”
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“Obviously because I’m quite fast, it helps. I feel confident knowing that I’m gonna get to most passes when I see them."
Robinson has also been productive as an attacking left-back, registering six assists last season and already getting two in seven league matches so far this term.
