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Jerome Sinclair was once considered to be Liverpool's next big star, but his career has not progressed as many had hoped. He made history as the youngest player to ever represent the club when he made his debut at the age of 16.
However, Sinclair's footballing career has stalled, and he is now without a professional contract and owns a fried chicken joint, according to the Daily Mail.
Things may have been bright for Sinclair when he made his debut under Brendan Rodgers in a League Cup tie against West Brom in 2012, becoming the youngest player to represent Liverpool in its history at the age of just 16 years and six days.
However, Sinclair's exit from Liverpool was marked with tension and bitterness as the former star turned down a contract extension offer in hopes of a more lucrative deal.
Speaking on Sinclair back in 2016, Jurgen Klopp stated (via Daily Mail):
"What we try to do is create a situation where younger players know it is not important to get the highest wages in your life in the first year of your career. I like Jerome, he is a real talent and if he wants to stay with us no problem. If not, we cannot force it."
Sinclair joined Watford in 2016 but struggled to establish himself and was sent on loan spells to a number of clubs, including Sunderland, Birmingham, Oxford, and most recently CSKA Sofia. He has not had a professional football contract since his deal with Watford ended in 2021.
The 26-year-old has now turned to business ventures to earn a living. He has invested in a range of businesses, including a branch of Morley's Chicken, a popular chain that originated in London in the mid-1980s, in his native Birmingham.
Karl Robinson, who worked with Sinclair at Oxford United, noted that the former forward has a "good business head." He said:
"I know he's based in Birmingham and he's got a good business head on him. He's got interests outside of football. I just want him to be happy. If that's playing football again or not, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters."
Former Liverpool star Jerome Sinclair discussed how his career had stagnated
During a 2020 interview, Sinclair reflected on where he thinks his career may have stalled. He said participating in Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard's All-Star charity game was one of the highlights of his career and that he felt like he had made a breakthrough.
However, Sinclair realized that there were still challenges ahead in his career (via Daily Mail):
"Gerrard was very good with me and made me feel involved. He asked me to play in his all-star charity game against Jamie Carragher's team. I started in a front three with Thierry Henry and Ryan Babel. I can never thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to meet my idol."
The former Liverpool star continued:
"By the end of that season, I felt like I'd pushed through a big barrier. I thought I was back on track. Now, I can see I was only at the start of all the obstacles and all the trials and tribulations you experience in football."
