Jurgen Klopp has kept a clutch of young players in and around his senior squad this season, but Liverpool should look to send a number out on loan this year – including Kaide Gordon.
The Reds competing for titles in four major competitions has led Klopp to name 45 players in various matchday squads. Of those, 15 have been teenagers between 17-year-olds Isaac Mabaya and Gordon to a group of seven 19-year-olds, like Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton.
No teenager has featured more often for Liverpool so far this term than Morton and Elliott. But Klopp has been reluctant to unleash the former during Premier League matches, while the later would have enjoyed vastly more chances had Elliott not sustained a serious injury.
Elliott forced his way into Klopp’s plans at the start of the season after returning to Anfield from a productive loan with Blackburn Rovers. The England U21 dynamo spent last season at Ewood Park, offering seven goals and 11 assists across 41 outings in the Championship.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
Numerous young players at Liverpool should now be pushing to head out on loan to follow in Elliott’s example. Many would benefit from the same opportunity to prove themselves in a first-team. So, here are five prospects the Reds should explore sending away this year…
Gordon should head young players leaving Liverpool on loan this summer
Gordon should head the queue of young players leaving Liverpool on loan this summer to further his development next season. Klopp has shown he appreciates what the 17-year-old has shown at U23s level with four first-team appearances. But he only has one league game.
The forward made his senior bow by starting Liverpool’s Carabao Cup third-round win over Norwich City and also opened the semi-final second-leg at Arsenal. The Emirates Stadium tie followed a starting role in the FA Cup third-round against Shrewsbury, in which he scored.
Yet the youngster’s only Premier League minutes to date came as a late substitute in a 3-0 win at home to Brentford. Gordon entered the action with eight minutes remaining in one of four inclusions in a top-flight matchday squad since his £1.5m move from Derby in 2021.
Morton should be among the young players Liverpool send out on loan
Despite playing more minutes across all competitions with 544 than any other teenager at Liverpool, Morton has only featured twice in the Premier League for 66 minutes and he last turned out in a top-flight fixture on December 19 when starting in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham.
He enjoyed an hour in north London, yet has only featured in three of the Reds’ 18 following league squads. Klopp last named the 19-year-old among his options in January, too, despite Morton regularly playing at U23s level for a goal and three assists over his last three games.
So, Morton should be among the young players that Liverpool send out on loan this summer to earn regular chances. He has not yet ventured away from Merseyside since he joined the Reds’ academy. But Morton has shown he is now ready to carry out a temporary spell away.
Liverpool should back Beck with temporary departure for young defender
Liverpool should back Owen Beck proving himself in a senior fold next season by sending the young defender out on loan. Klopp has rarely shown his faith in the 19-year-old on the pitch this term, with just two appearances for 10 minutes in the EFL Cup fourth and fifth rounds.
Almost all of his senior game time also came during the quarter-final tie with Leicester City on December 22. Klopp introduced the left-back with 10 minutes to play of regular time as the Merseysiders’ fifth substitution. Beck has also only featured in just three league squads.
The Wales U21 international has enjoyed a solid campaign at U23s level, though. Beck has offered a goal and three assists from full-back across 20 PL2 outings. But six yellow and one red card show he is not yet ready for the top-flight and may need a lower-league loan move.
Bradley enjoying creative U23s campaign without senior carryover
Conor Bradley is enjoying a creative campaign at U23s level, but the 18-year-old has not so far seen much senior carryover. He has eight assists and three goals across 21 PL2 matches, starting 20. The right-back has also earned five senior caps for Northern Ireland already.
Ian Baraclough handed the defender his international bow last May before further call-ups in September, October and November. Bradley also started in his last outing for the Green and White Army against Bulgaria, with 68 minutes during a World Cup qualifying fixture.
Yet on Merseyside, Bradley has made three of his five first-team games in the EFL Cup and one in the FA Cup. He is also yet to play in the Premier League and only played a stoppage-time role in the Reds’ final Champions League group stage fixture at AC Milan in December.
Max Woltman should feature among young players leaving Liverpool on loan
Max Woltman should also feature among the young players leaving Liverpool on loan this summer. The 18-year-old has shown solid attacking potential in PL2 with six goals and two assists in 23 games. He also scored three and created two in seven UEFA Youth League ties.
Yet the Wirral-born forward’s only first-team action totals 45 minutes in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury and a stoppage-time substitute role at AC Milan in the Champions League. Klopp is also yet to name the forward in a single Premier League squad in any capacity.
A move to League One, the Scottish Premiership or potentially a lower-half Championship side could now suit his development well. It is highly unlikely that Klopp would look to offer Woltman significant senior action should Liverpool not send the young striker out on loan.