Owen Beck (footballer) explained

Owen Beck
Full Name:Owen Michael Beck[1]
Birth Date:9 August 2002
Birth Place:Wrexham, Wales[2]
Height:1.77 m
Position:Left-back
Currentclub:Liverpool
Clubnumber:63
Youthclubs1:Flint Town United
Youthclubs2:Tranmere Rovers
Youthclubs3:Stoke City
Youthyears4:2015–2021
Youthclubs4:Liverpool
Years1:2021–
Clubs1:Liverpool
Caps1:1
Goals1:0
Years2:2022
Clubs2:Famalicão (loan)
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2022–2023
Clubs3:Bolton Wanderers (loan)
Caps3:5
Goals3:0
Years4:2023–2024
Clubs4:Dundee (loan)
Caps4:17
Goals4:2
Years5:2024
Clubs5:Dundee (loan)
Caps5:8
Goals5:0
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalteam1:Wales U17
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalteam2:Wales U19
Nationalgoals2:-->
Nationalyears3:2021–
Nationalteam3:Wales U21
Nationalcaps3:14
Nationalgoals3:1
Club-Update:21:21, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:22:00, 20 November 2023 (UTC)

Owen Michael Beck (born 9 August 2002) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a left-back for club Liverpool. He is a Wales under-21 international.

Club career

Youth

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.[3] He then joined the youth set-up at Tranmere Rovers[4] 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.[5] 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.

Liverpool

In June 2020 he signed his first professional contract with the club,[6] improved his terms in November 2020[7] [8] and in July 2021 he signed a new long-term contract with the club.[9]

He made two appearances for the first team in the 2021–22 pre-season, playing friendlies against Athletic Club and CA Osasuna.[10] On 27 October 2021, he made his competitive debut for the first team in an EFL Cup game against Preston North End.[11]

2022–23: Loans at Famalicão and Bolton

On 11 July 2022 Beck joined Portuguese club Famalicão on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season.[12] Having made no appearances he was recalled on 31 August and sent on loan to Bolton Wanderers instead.[13] His best friend, Conor Bradley, was also on loan at Bolton.[14] Beck made his league debut for Bolton in November 2022, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw with Cambridge United.[15] The loan was terminated by mutual agreement on 26 January 2023.[16]

2023–24: Loans at Dundee

On 3 July 2023, Beck joined Scottish Premiership club Dundee on a season-long loan.[17] He made his competitive debut in a 1–0 Scottish League Cup group stage win away to Bonnyrigg Rose.[18] He impressed during the early part of the season, and picked up the club's man of the match award during a home draw with Kilmarnock.[19] [20] Beck scored his first Dundee goal (as well as his first professional goal) in the league against Hibernian.[21]

After excelling and becoming a fan favourite at Dens Park, Liverpool activated their recall clause on 1 January 2024 to terminate Beck's loan deal with Dundee due to an injury crisis at the left-back position.[22] [23] On 21 January, Beck made his Premier League debut with Liverpool as a substitute in a victory away to Bournemouth, ruling out a potential move to a third club this season due to having played for the maximum number of two clubs in one season.[24] [25]

On 30 January, Beck rejoined Dundee on loan until the end of the season.[26] [27] [28] He made his return that same day, starting and assisting the only Dundee goal in an away draw against Aberdeen.[29] In mid-March, Beck would return to Liverpool to get treatment for persistent groin injuries which would keep him out of action for the remainder of the season.[30] [31] In April 2024, Beck was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.[32]

International career

Beck played for Wales as a schoolboy.[33]

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.[34]

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[35] 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.[36] [37] 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.

In October 2023, Beck was called up to the Wales senior national team for the first time.[38] He would also get called up to the Wales U21 side the following day, with the clarification that Beck would be joining the senior squad for their match against Gibraltar, before joining the U21 side for the rest of the international window.[39] [40]

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.[41]

Career statistics

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool U212019–201010
2020–213030
Total0000004040
Liverpool2021–22Premier League0000200020
2022–23Premier League0000000000
2023–24Premier League1000000010
Total1000200030
Famalicão (loan)2022–23[42] Primeira Liga00000000
Bolton Wanderers (loan)2022–23EFL League One5010003090
Dundee (loan)2023–24Scottish Premiership252003000282
Career total312105070442

Honours

Liverpool Academy

Dundee

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023/24 Premier League squad lists . Premier League . 13 September 2023 . 14 September 2023.
  2. Web site: Owen Beck: Profile . worldfootball.net . HEIM:SPIEL . 13 September 2023.
  3. Web site: Pritchard . Tom . Owen Beck: Youngster signs first pro deal with Liverpool . Y Clwb Pel-Droed . 29 October 2021 . 10 June 2021.
  4. Web site: Feringa . Megan . Next-gen Dragons: Owen Beck . Welsh Football Fans . 29 October 2021 . 18 October 2021.
  5. Web site: Owen Beck . Liverpool FC.
  6. Web site: Owen Beck signs first professional contract with Liverpool FC . Liverpool FC . 29 October 2021.
  7. Web site: Owen Beck signs new contract with Liverpool FC . Liverpool FC . 29 October 2021 . 11 November 2020.
  8. Web site: 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 . 29 October 2021.
  9. Web site: Owen Beck: Welsh youngster signs long term Liverpool deal . BBC Sport . 29 October 2021.
  10. Web site: Hunter . Steve . 'Owen has performed really well when given the opportunity' . Liverpool FC . 29 October 2021 . 15 August 2021.
  11. News: Liverpool reach Carabao Cup last eight . BBC Sport . 27 October 2021.
  12. Web site: Liverpool's Beck in Portuguese loan move. www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. Web site: Wanderers land Liverpool youngster Owen Beck on loan. 31 August 2022. The Bolton News.
  14. Web site: Friends Re-United | Bolton Wanderers FC. www.bwfc.co.uk.
  15. Web site: Liverpool loanee keeps 11th clean sheet in 22 as left-back makes league debut . This is Anfield . 16 November 2022.
  16. Web site: Beck Ends Loan Spell . bwfc.co.uk . 26 January 2023.
  17. Web site: 3 July 2023 . Beck signs . 3 July 2023 . Dundee Football Club - Official Website . en-US.
  18. News: Bonnyrigg Rose v Dundee . en-GB . BBC Sport . 18 July 2023.
  19. News: 10-man Dundee stun Kilmarnock with late leveller . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2 October 2023.
  20. Web site: Kilmarnock . 2 October 2023 . Dundee Football Club - Official Website . en-US.
  21. News: Ten-man Hibs hang on for victory at Dundee . en-GB . BBC Sport . 25 November 2023.
  22. Web site: 1 January 2024 . Liverpool FC recall Beck . 1 January 2024 . Dundee Football Club - Official Website . en-US.
  23. Web site: Beck leaves Dundee as Liverpool cut short loan. BBC Sport.
  24. News: Liverpool beat Bournemouth to go five points clear . 21 January 2024 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  25. Web site: 21 January 2024 . Owen Beck features for Liverpool, ruling out move to Celtic . 21 January 2024 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  26. Web site: 30 January 2024 . Beck is back . 30 January 2024 . Dundee Football Club - Official Website . en-US.
  27. Web site: Liverpool: Owen Beck rejoins Dundee on loan. 30 January 2024. BBC Sport.
  28. Web site: Beck is back. 30 January 2024. BBC Sport.
  29. News: 'No panic' from Robson as Aberdeen and Dundee draw . 2024-01-31 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  30. Web site: Cran . George . 2024-03-18 . Dundee dealt major Owen Beck injury blow as loan star heads back to Liverpool . 2024-03-21 . The Courier . en-GB.
  31. Web site: Cran . George . 2024-04-24 . Dundee loan star Owen Beck ruled out for Premiership run-in . 2024-04-25 . The Courier . en-GB.
  32. Web site: 2024-04-20 . Beck in PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the year . 2024-04-20 . Dundee Football Club - Official Website . en-US.
  33. Web site: Young guns . Dragon Soccer . 29 October 2021.
  34. Web site: Wales 0-1 Kazakhstan . UEFA . 29 October 2021 . 13 October 2018.
  35. Web site: Wales call up Liverpool's Owen Beck for UEFA U21 Euro 2023 qualifier in Bulgaria . BBC Sport . 29 October 2021.
  36. Web site: Bulgaria U21 0-4 Wales U21 . BBC Sport . 29 October 2021 . 7 September 2021.
  37. Web site: Cymru Under-21s shine in Sofia . Football Association of Wales . 29 October 2021.
  38. Web site: Ellis . Callum . 6 October 2023 . Senior call-ups another proud moment for Matty Jones . 7 October 2023 . FAW . en-US.
  39. News: Senior call-ups Beck and Savage in Wales U21 squad . en-GB . BBC Sport . 7 October 2023.
  40. Web site: Cran . George . 5 October 2023 . Dundee loan star Owen Beck called up by Wales under-21s - 24 hours after being named in senior squad . 7 October 2023 . The Courier . en-GB.
  41. Web site: Williams . Glen . Who is Owen Beck, Liverpool's rising star who's being compared to Andy Robertson . WalesOnline . en . 13 July 2021.
  42. Web site: Wales - O. Beck - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway. uk.soccerway.com.
  43. Web site: LFC U23s beat Burnley to lift Lancashire FA Senior Cup . . 5 May 2022.