Liverpool loan tracker: Where 15 Reds will be playing until the end of the season

After a spate of late deals on deadline day and some youngsters returning to the club, Liverpool now have 15 players out on loan.

The Reds were heavily involved in the January transfer window, both at the start and toward the end, but the vast majority was of outgoing deals.

Virgil van Dijk arrived and Philippe Coutinho was sold, both for huge money, but aside from those two it was loan deals who made the headlines at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp has made it something of a policy to keep younger players at the club when possible, featuring for the U23s, but even so there was a clear need for some to see regular action.

A handful of talents, including Ben Woodburn and Danny Ward, had been linked with loan moves but remained at Anfield, while others departed until the end of the season.

At the end of December there were also returns for three players who were already out on loan, with one heading off to a new challenge immediately.

Here’s a run-down on where all 15 will be plying their trade between now and the end of 2017/18.

 

First-team scene

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2018: West Bromwich Albion's Daniel Sturridge during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and West Bromwich Albion FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Daniel Sturridge left to join West Bromwich Albion in search of regular game time.

The striker’s departure leaves the Reds somewhat short in attack, but he was desperate for minutes ahead of the World Cup.

With three goals this season for Liverpool he has played a minimal role, hampered once more by injuries and being second choice behind Roberto Firmino.

He debuted for the Baggies off the bench in a defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Fellow striker Divock Origi has been in the Bundesliga since the start of the campaign.

He so far has four goals in 19 games for Wolfsburg across all competitions.

The Belgian has been linked with a permanent move to his loan club, but there is no option to buy in his year-long stay in Germany.

 

Klopp’s hopefuls

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, November 1, 2017: Liverpool's Marko Grujic during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Liverpool FC and NK Maribor at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

From the clutch of young performers hoping to have a future at Anfield, a loan spell in the Championship has the potential to widen their pathway to first team action.

A good showing over a sustained period can increase confidence and self-belief ahead of pre-season with the Reds’ seniors, and several loaned-out players fall into this category.

Marko Grujic has joined Cardiff City and their promotion charge—they are in the Championship play-off spots and the Serbian midfielder has gone straight into the team.

Already he has played twice and he should be a regular through to the end of the campaign.

Sheyi Ojo moved to Fulham in August and, despite an injury keeping him out across the autumn, he has been a regular performer there.

So far it’s four goals in 18 games for the attacking midfielder, most often playing from the right wing of late.

Ovie Ejaria looked a bit of a favourite of Klopp’s for a period, but he hasn’t featured this season at all for the Reds.

BIRKENHEAD, ENGLAND - Tuesday, December 19, 2017: Liverpool's Oviemuno Ovie Ejaria during the Under-23 FA Premier League International Cup Group A match between Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven at Prenton Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

As such a move to Sunderland will hopefully reinvigorate his progress; he only joined the Black Cats on deadline day and so could debut at the weekend against Ipswich.

He faces a very different kind of struggle though: Sunderland are in the relegation zone having won just five times all season.

Harry Wilson signed a new extension to his Liverpool contract immediately before heading out on loan on deadline day.

He joined Hull City—and like Ejaria, he’ll face a relegation battle. Hull are only out the drop zone on goal difference in England’s second tier.

Finally from this group, Ryan Kent ended his loan spell at Freiburg early, having played only six times in the Bundesliga since the start of the season.

He immediately headed back out though and he has already played three times for new club Bristol City, including a League Cup semi-final cameo against Man City and notching an assist against QPR.

Bristol City are chasing promotion, in the play-off spots and level on points with Grujic’s Cardiff.

 

Forgotten fringes

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, September 22, 2017: Liverpool's Lazar Markovic during the Under-23 FA Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Two players headed out late in January to see out the season elsewhere, and it’s likely neither will be seen in a Red shirt again, with summer transfers away extremely probable.

Lazar Markovic moved to Belgian side Anderlecht, despite rumoured interest from Swansea.

And Jon Flanagan moved to Bolton Wanderers, in the relegation zone in the Championship.

 

U23s in development

Pedro Chirivella of Willem II during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Willem II Tilburg and ADO Den Haag at Koning Willem II stadium on September 09, 2017 in Tilburg, The Netherlands

Toni Gomes and Jordan Williams both spent the first half of the season out on loan, at Forest Green Rovers and Rochdale respectively.

Both players’ deals ended on January 1, though, and they are now back at Liverpool.

Pedro Chirivella has been in the Eredivisie since the start of the season and has played 19 times for Willem II.

Connor Randall is at Hearts in Scotland for the season, with 19 appearances thus far. He has featured both at right-back and in central midfield.

Allan Rodrigues is enjoying a full year in Cyprus with Apollon Limassol. He’s a midfield regular, with 17 appearances to date, including around 300 minutes of Europa League action.

Taiwo Awoniyi is on a season-long deal at Belgian outfit Royal Excel Mouscron.

Despite seeing plenty of action—24 games, almost 2000 minutes—it has been a frustrating time in front of goal for the striker, who has just five goals to his name and only one since September.

Corey Whelan joined Yeovil at the start of January and has made three appearances. His only start came in the EFL Trophy, and he was an unused sub against Manchester United in the FA Cup recently.

And finally, Matty Virtue joined Notts County midway through the month.

He has played three times in midfield for the League Two club, but was sent-off on his most recent outing.

Liverpool Loanees:

Allan Rodrigues (Apollon Limassol, Cyprus)
Divock Origi (Wolfsburg, Germany)
Pedro Chirivella (Willem II, Netherlands)
Connor Randall (Hearts, Scotland)
Taiwo Awoniyi (Mouscron, Belgium)
Sheyi Ojo (Fulham)
Corey Whelan (Yeovil)
Matty Virtue (Notts County)
Ryan Kent (Bristol City)
Marko Grujic (Cardiff City)
Daniel Sturridge (West Brom)
Ovie Ejaria (Sunderland)
Jon Flanagan (Bolton)
Harry Wilson (Hull City)
Lazar Markovic (Anderlecht, Belgium)

* Our LFC loan watch is published each Monday, looking at how the loaned players got on that weekend.

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