Liverpool look like they’ve made a bad mistake with one of their very best young players
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When it comes to deciding on the best loan moves for their young players, Liverpool have made some big mistakes in recent years.The Reds used to be fairly adept at finding the right temporary clubs for their most talented academy starlets, with Harvey Elliott’s stint at Blackburn and Tyler Morton’s spells with Rovers and Hull springing to mind.Somewhere along the way things got muddled, though, and there have been a couple of recent mistakes. Ifeanyi Ndukwe, having had a stunning introduction to Liverpool in pre-season, looks like being the latest of these, with the centre-back struggling to make an impact with Levante.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC Ifeanyi Ndukwe is yet to play for LevanteHad circumstances been different, Liverpool may not have loaned Ndukwe out at all this season. Only work permit issues prevented him from doing so.Once he returns from his spell away, the plan seems to be that he will slot straight into Andoni Iraola’s defensive plans.However, that strategy could change if Ndukwe continues to be uninvolved with Levante.
The latest disappointment came on Sunday, when Ndukwe remained rooted to the bench as the Frogs drew 0-0 with Malaga.He reportedly only needs to play once to secure a UK work permit, and though that will almost certainly happen, it does not mean that his spell with the Spanish side will have been a success if it does.Photo by Lewis Storey – Danehouse/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: New contract talks for Liverpool standard-setter Virgil van Dijk should start soonIf Ndukwe spends the full season out of the team and hardly plays at all, there is a chance that his development is stunted, and he does not return to Liverpool as the same player.There is a difference between playing in the underage sides – as Ndukwe was for much of last season at Austria Vienna – and not playing at all. He is getting into the matchday squads for Levante, but remaining on the bench, meaning he is not currently playing any football at all away from training sessions.This could impact on the young defender quite significantly, and though it is early days, Liverpool’s decision to send him to the Spanish team looks like a bad one right now.Given his age, it may not have been the best idea for Ndukwe to join a team where he would be an undisputed starter, but Liverpool obviously need him to be featuring more than he currently is.It has been reported that the Reds will reassess Ndukwe’s situation in January with a view to potentially bringing him back to Merseyside.