Next Big Step – What Derby County Are Getting In Owen Beck | OneFootball

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Talented Liverpool left-back Owen Beck is to spend the season on loan at Derby County after joining the Championship club, but what exactly will the Rams be getting in the shape of the defender?

Beck signed a new long-term contract at Liverpool before completing the move to the Rams, with the Welshman choosing the opportunity to reunite with Derby boss John Eustace over a host of other suitors and announcing his intention to take the next step in his development.

The young left-back racked up 24 appearances for Blackburn Rovers under Eustace last term before the manager left for the Rams in February for Derby.

Owen Beck’s Background

Anyone who has followed Beck’s time at Blackburn and beyond will agree that the similarities with his Liverpool senior Andrew Robertson, are striking.

Beck has all the attributes of the archetypal modern full-back, possessing the ability and desire to drive forward to contribute during the attacking phases of play but also quickly recover during transitions while also being strong in 1vs1 situations.

First playing for the junior teams of his hometown club Flint Town United in Wales, Beck picked up the Flintshire Footballer of the Year award from Welsh and Liverpool legend Ian Rush.

Continuing as a striker at Tranmere Rovers after moving to Merseyside, Beck was moved to the full-back position after signing for Stoke City’s youth academy.

Beck made the switch back to Merseyside by signing for his boyhood club, Liverpool, in 2015.

The connection with Rush does not end with common nationalities or clubs though, with Beck’s grandmother Carole being the sister of the Liverpool great, making Rush the great-uncle of Beck.

First Steps Away From Anfield

After signing his first professional contract with Liverpool in June 2020, he made his debut for the first team in an EFL Cup game against Preston North End in 2021.

A loan to Primeira Liga club Famalicao was seen as the next step to take in his development in July 2022, but Beck was recalled by the end of August having made no appearances.

With best friend Conor Bradley already in the process of having his breakout season on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One, Beck was sent to join him.

Beck even said that he used to watch Bolton’s matches when he was in Portugal just to follow Bradley, after signing for the Trotters.

While being by no means a failure at Bolton, the Trotters being unable to afford game-time, mutually agreed to terminate the loan early in January 2023 after nine appearances, keeping Beck’s development in mind.

A season-long loan to Scottish Premiership club Dundee followed where Beck excelled, scoring his first professional goal in the league against Hibernian, and making himself a fan favourite in the process.

His spell at Dundee saw him catch the eye, with former Scottish top flight star Tam McManus dubbing him ‘tremendous’, while he was soon of interest to both Celtic and Rangers.

In January 2024, Liverpool were forced to recall Beck after losing Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas to injuries, with his fine form making him a viable option, and handed him his Premier League debut in a clash against Bournemouth, with Beck coming on as a substitute.

With that appearance and a potential move to a third club on loan being ruled out, Beck returned to Dundee on loan until the end of the season at the end of January and celebrated by assisting the only Dundee goal in an away draw against Aberdeen amidst much fanfare.

Catching The Eye, Cementing Opinions

Beck has impressed a lot of football men in his short career, with Eustace calling him a “super, young, talented player” and “one of the most exciting full-backs in the country for his age at the moment” before his move was finalised.

Liverpool, expectedly, have tracked his development closely with Pep Lijnders, presently Pep Guardiola’s assistant and then of Liverpool, choosing to single Bradley and Beck out for praise, saying: “Owen Beck and Conor Bradley in the second team, the right side, the left side, they dominated the complete channel, offensively and defensively”, after Bradley’s debut in the Premier League.

The Path Back To Liverpool

Though Beck’s progress has been slower than that of Bradley’s, Beck can take inspiration from his friend’s spell at Bolton to further his own case.

It bodes well for Beck that he is now in the hands of a manager whom he trusts and respects and, in a division, and club where every action of his on the pitch will not be scrutinised to the same degree as if he was at Liverpool.

Beck should also take heart from Robertson, whose own rise was meteoric after being signed from a relegated Hull City.

The use of full-backs in the modern game is another factor in Beck’s favour, with the clubs that can rotate, rotating often to prevent injuries.

Arne Slot too has shown a willingness to rotate his full-backs; often they being the ones to be substituted first by the Dutchman.

Beck will look to use this spell at Pride Park to push himself into the first-team conversations at Liverpool, where he is already highly thought of, with an eye on becoming Milos Kerkez’s understudy for the 2026-27 season.

That would suit Derby just fine as it would mean Beck had taken another big step in his development over the course of the campaign.