With a new manager comes a fresh chance for Liverpool’s young loanees to make an impact on the first team in pre-season.
While Jurgen Klopp was a coach who gave young players chances to shine in the first team, not every player made the cut and some were sent on loan to garner further experience.
The arrival of head coach Arne Slot could signal a new opportunity, though, for those who have spent the last few months away from Merseyside.
With the Dutchman potentially needing new players in key positions such as left-back and goalkeeper, he could turn to those who have impressed out on loan.
Here are five of Liverpool’s loanees who could be given a chance under Slot.
Fabio Carvalho
Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder
LFC apps: 21
Following a dismal first half of the season at RB Leipzig, that saw him start only three times and spend 360 minutes on the pitch, Carvalho returned to Liverpool and went back out on loan to the Championship.
In the second division, he joined Tyler Morton in Liam Rosenior’s Hull side that was pushing for the play-offs.
Ultimately, the Tigers missed out and the manager controversially lost his job, but it had been a successful few months on an individual basis for the Portuguese.
The majority of his appearances for Hull came as a false nine, with Carvalho scoring nine goals in 20 games for the Tigers before returning with a view to impressing Slot.
Tyler Morton
Age: 21
Position: Central midfielder
LFC apps: 9
Morton had a big influence at Blackburn in the 2022/23 season, and he quickly took to the hearts of Hull fans this campaign, too.
His strength and composure on the ball, as well as ability to read the play, made him a stalwart of the Hull team that came seventh in the Championship.
The 21-year-old clearly grew in stature and confidence across the campaign, and the combative midfielder will also hope to force his way into Slot’s squad next season.
You get the feeling that one more loan move might be the limit before he breaks into the first team or leaves permanently.
• READ: Morton is “string-puller” in position Liverpool need – could he come back?
Owen Beck
Age: 21
Position: Left-back
LFC apps: 3
This has been by far the best season of Beck’s professional career so far, becoming a fans’ favourite at Dundee and even getting a brief Premier League appearance in Liverpool’s 4-0 win at Bournemouth.
After a frustrating 2022/23 season that saw loans at Famalicao and Bolton fail, Ian Rush‘s great-nephew made sure he didn’t waste his opportunity in Scotland, performing brilliantly as an attacking left-back.
He returned to Merseyside briefly in January, when he made the aforementioned appearance under Klopp, but an agreement was quickly reached to send him back to Dundee.
Beck made such an impression north of the border that he was voted by the players into the PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year.
Luke Chambers
Age: 19
Position: Left-back
LFC apps: 4
Another left-back on this list, Chambers spent the first half of the season jumping between the first team and under-21s before moving to Wigan in January.
With a wicked delivery on his left foot, Chambers has long been seen as a big prospect in the academy and was granted his debut against Leicester in the League Cup.
After that, he made three more appearances, including two Europa League starts, and subsequently went straight into Shaun Maloney’s Wigan side.
The 19-year-old then played 18 times in League One, with his manager saying: “To make it really simple, we signed him in January and he’s made our starting XI better.”
Vitezslav Jaros
Age: 22
Position: Goalkeeper
LFC apps: 0
• JAROS EXCLUSIVE: What it’s like to sign for Liverpool – with salary caps and no phones!
Jaros’ January move to Sturm Graz was an undoubted success, as he won the Austrian double to end Red Bull Salzburg’s domestic dominance.
The 22-year-old goalkeeper is understandably yet to feature for the Reds, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Adrian both ahead of him in the pecking order, but this summer could see that change.
Having played every game but one after arriving in Austria, Liverpool and their new-look goalkeeping department must surely take a serious look at Jaros if Kelleher or Adrian were to leave.
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