Rhian Brewster and three other Liverpool loanees will be back in action later this month, after the EFL confirmed their return date for the Championship campaign.
The English second tier has followed the Premier League‘s lead in finalising its restart date, following the release of government protocol over the safe return of professional sport.
And the Championship is set to resume on the same weekend as the top flight’s first full round of fixtures, with the EFL announcing June 20 as their intended date.
This came due to “the importance of completing the season in a similar timeline to that of the Premier League to avoid any potential issues with promoted and relegated clubs,” with the season expected to conclude by the end of July.
Discussions over the expansion of matchday squads from 18 to 20, and an increase to the amount of substitutes permitted in any game from three to five, will continue between the EFL and the 24 clubs.
It is another positive for English football, and Liverpool will consider it a boost as four loanees are able to return to action.
Brewster is the most high-profile, with the 20-year-old striker having settled into a first-choice role at Swansea following his move to the Liberty Stadium in January, scoring four goals in 11 games.
Ovie Ejaria will be aiming to continue his strong form with mid-table Reading, with the midfielder then due to complete a permanent switch at the end of the season.
It could be a more difficult restart for Kamil Grabara at Huddersfield and Herbie Kane at Hull, however, as the pair face a fight for their places having return from injury.
Grabara lost his starting spot to Jonas Lossl following a head injury, and Kane was set to miss the remainder of the campaign with an ankle problem only for the suspension of football to offer a route back with the Tigers.
Both Huddersfield and Hull are fighting relegation to League One, though it remains unclear when or if the third tier will restart as talks continue.
Three loanees were already able to return upon the resumption of football in Germany, with both Marko Grujic and Taiwo Awoniyi scoring since the Bundesliga’s restart and Nat Phillips featuring in 2.Bundesliga.
Liverpool’s loan pathways manager Julian Ward will be keeping an eye on the progress of the club’s youngsters as they find their feet again, with Brewster’s progress in south Wales of particular interest.
The club will likely need to agree short-term extensions to these loan deals, but it is not expected that any will return to Merseyside prematurely.
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