Liverpool youngster Brooks Lennen could join Real Salt Lake in permanent deal

Real Salt Lake are keen on making Brooks Lennon's loan move from Liverpool a permanent deal, according to reports.

The American winger spent the 2017 regular season with the Utah club, scoring three goals in 26 appearances in all competitions.

Mike Petke's side finished seventh in the Western Conference and missed out on qualifying for the Major League Soccer play-offs, but they have seen enough from Lennon to convince them a permanent deal would be worth investing in.

And ESPN understand RSL are interested in a long-term deal for the 20-year-old, which could see him leave Liverpool either in the New Year or at the end of his contract in the summer of 2018.

The first MLS transfer window runs from February to May, the period during which they must acquire Lennon if they want him in place for the start of the new season.

If they are unwilling to pay Liverpool a fee for the youngster then they would have to wait until his contract expires on 30 June, with the Anfield club unlikely to extend the deal.

Lennon has made appearances for Liverpool's Under-23 and Under-18 sides but has never come close to appearing for the senior side since moving to Mersyside in July 2015. He was mainly used as the replacement for injured striker Danny Ings during his spells on the sidelines.

He threatened to break through and force his way into Jurgen Klopp's plans after making 12 appearances in Premier League 2 in the 2016-17 season, during which he scored twice.

But he was unable to build on that form when he was loaned to the Rio Tinto Stadium earlier this year, where he began his career in the club's academy.

Speaking last summer, Lennon dropped a strong hint that his future would remain in the United States after revealing his delight at having returned to his homeland.

"I was always playing a year up with my club teams, I was always playing with older guys," Lennon said, according to USA Today. "Then when I got to the RSL Academy it kind of all changed and I knew I wanted to take this really seriously and make it a career.

"Our youth system and our youth teams are succeeding, going far in tournaments and actually competing for titles. Years back it was all about the European teams."