Liverpool are set to agree a loan move for academy goalkeeper Harvey Davies this summer, which could have a knock-on effect on their incoming business.
According to The Redmen TV and corroborated by the Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle, Davies is set to join League Two side Crawley on a season-long loan.
The 21-year-old had been expected to fill the role of third-choice goalkeeper following the departures of Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros (on loan to Ajax), but plans appear to have changed.
Instead £1.5 million signing Armin Pecsi is likely to be considered backup to Alisson and another new arrival, Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Davies’ switch to Crawley – who also took midfielder James Balagizi on loan in 2022 – comes with the Scouser no longer eligible as an U21s player.
But having been slated to fill a homegrown spot in Liverpool’s Premier League squad, his exit suggests there are plans to address the quota elsewhere.
Liverpool need homegrown players
With Kelleher, Jaros and Trent Alexander-Arnold already leaving and midfielder Tom Hill having moved in January, four of last season’s seven homegrown players have vacated their spots.
Conor Bradley, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah will all take up homegrown spots from this season, of which eight are required in order to name a full 25-man senior squad.
But Elliott and Quansah are both expected to leave along with Davies and the likes of Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams, Tyler Morton and Owen Beck.
It could leave only Bradley, Curtis Jones, Joe Gomez and new signing Jeremie Frimpong as established homegrown options in Arne Slot‘s squad next season, potentially limiting how many senior players he can register.
While Polish goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek, 21, could also take up a spot and serve as third-choice goalkeeper, the likelihood is that Liverpool will also need to turn to the transfer market to solve their problem.
The most obvious solution will be either keeping Quansah – who is attracting interest from Bayer Leverkusen – or signing a new homegrown centre-back.
Crystal Palace‘s Marc Guehi, Chelsea‘s Levi Colwill and Everton‘s Jarrad Branthwaite are the standout options but Brentford‘s Nathan Collins has been tentatively mentioned.
Liverpool are likely to confirm Davies’ move to Crawley in the coming days, and while it may appear a low-key transfer and a good opportunity for a talented young goalkeeper, it will only add to the plates being juggled by Richard Hughes.
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