Owen Beck (footballer)

Owen Michael Beck (born 9 August 2002) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Liverpool and the Wales under-21 national team.

Owen Beck
Personal information
Full name Owen Michael Beck[1]
Date of birth (2002-08-09) 9 August 2002
Place of birth Flint, Wales
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Liverpool
Number 63
Youth career
Flint Town United
Tranmere Rovers
Stoke City
2015– Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Liverpool 0 (0)
2022 → Famalicão (loan) 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 5 (0)
International career‡
2018 Wales U17 1 (0)
2021– Wales U21 9 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:38, 26 January 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:05, 26 March 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Beck first played for the junior teams of his hometown club, Flint Town United as a striker. At the age of 10 he was awarded with a Flintshire Footballer of the Year award by Ian Rush.[2] He then joined the youth set-up at Tranmere Rovers[3] before moving to Stoke City, switching to playing in the full-back position.

He then joined Liverpool's Academy from Stoke as an under-13 player.[4] He broke into the under-18 team in the 2019–20 season and was also a part of their Under-19 UEFA Youth League squad. He moved up to the under-23 squad for the 2020–21 season becoming a playing regular.

In June 2020 he signed his first professional contract with the club,[5] improved his terms in November 2020[6][7] and in July 2021 he signed a new long-term contract with the club.[8]

He made two appearances for the first team in the 2021–22 pre-season, playing against friendlies against Athletic Club and CA Osasuna.[9] On 27 October 2021, he made his competitive debut for the first team in an EFL Cup game against Preston North End.[10]

On 11 July 2022 Beck joined Portuguese club Famalicão on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season.[11] Having made no appearances he was recalled on 31 August and sent on loan to Bolton Wanderers instead.[12] His best friend, Conor Bradley, was also on loan at Bolton.[13] Beck made his league debut for Bolton in November 2022, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw with Cambridge United.[14] The loan was terminated by mutual agreement on 26 January 2023.[15]

International career

He played for Wales as a schoolboy.[16]

In October 2018 he featured in the Wales under-17 team in a match against Kazakhstan, playing 72 minutes of a UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification match.[17]

In March 2021 he was called up for the Wales under-21 team for a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland but was an unused substitute on matchday.

In August he was again called up[18] and made his debut on 7 September as a 79th minute substitute in a 4–0 victory over Bulgaria in a Euro 2023 qualifying game.[19][20] He scored his first goal for the Welsh under-21 team on 12 November 2021 with the opening goal in a 7–0 victory over Gibraltar.

Personal life

Beck was born to parents Shaun Beck and Sara James. He has an older brother, Leon and a younger brother, Theo. Beck is the great-nephew of former Liverpool striker Ian Rush, whose sister Carol is Beck's grandmother.[21]

Career statistics
As of matches played 10 January 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Liverpool U21 2019–20[22] ———1[lower-alpha 1]010
2020–21[23] ———3[lower-alpha 1]030
Total 0000000040
Liverpool 2021–22[24] Premier League 0000200020
Famalicão (loan) 2022–23[25] Primeira Liga 000000—00
Bolton Wanderers (loan) 2022–23[26] EFL League One 5010003[lower-alpha 1]090
Career total 50102070150
  1. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Liverpool Academy

References
  1. "Updated squad lists for 2022/23 Premier League". Premier League. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. Pritchard, Tom (10 June 2021). "Owen Beck: Youngster signs first pro deal with Liverpool". Y Clwb Pel-Droed. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. Feringa, Megan (18 October 2021). "Next-gen Dragons: Owen Beck". Welsh Football Fans. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  4. "Owen Beck". Liverpool FC.
  5. "Owen Beck signs first professional contract with Liverpool FC". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  6. "Owen Beck signs new contract with Liverpool FC". Liverpool FC. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  7. Williams, Glen. "Who is Owen Beck, Liverpool's rising talent with a famous uncle impressing first-team stars and being compared to Andy Robertson". Wales Online. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  8. "Owen Beck: Welsh youngster signs long term Liverpool deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  9. Hunter, Steve (15 August 2021). "'Owen has performed really well when given the opportunity'". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  10. "Liverpool reach Carabao Cup last eight". BBC Sport. 27 October 2021.
  11. Beck joins Famalicão
  12. The Bolton News: "Bolton Wanderers sign Liverpool youngster Owen Beck on loan"
  13. BWFC: "Friends Re-United, Owen Beck ready to team up again with best pal Bradley for the Whites."
  14. "Liverpool loanee keeps 11th clean sheet in 22 as left-back makes league debut". This is Anfield. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  15. "Beck Ends Loan Spell". bwfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  16. "Young guns". Dragon Soccer. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  17. "Wales 0-1 Kazakhstan". UEFA. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  18. "Wales call up Liverpool's Owen Beck for UEFA U21 Euro 2023 qualifier in Bulgaria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  19. "Bulgaria U21 0-4 Wales U21". BBC Sport. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  20. "Cymru Under-21s shine in Sofia". Football Association of Wales. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  21. Williams, Glen (13 July 2021). "Who is Owen Beck, Liverpool's rising star who's being compared to Andy Robertson". WalesOnline.
  22. "Games played by Owen Beck in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  23. "Games played by Owen Beck in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  24. "Games played by Owen Beck in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  25. Soccerway: "O. BECK"
  26. "Games played by Owen Beck in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  27. "LFC U23s beat Burnley to lift Lancashire FA Senior Cup". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
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