Liverpool have failed to capitalize on the talents of young defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe this season, despite impressing in their first pre-season friendly. The Reds are currently in the United States on a pre-season tour in preparation for the new Premier League season. On Saturday night, Liverpool opened the summer with a 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville.
Ndukwe had been included in the substitute squad by new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, but came on as a substitute for the injured Joe Gomez in the 10th minute. The veteran was injured early in the match and was forced to leave. And the 18-year-old put in an eye-catching performance for the Reds, drawing praise from fans, especially given the team’s current lack of senior centre-back replacements.
Despite this, Ilaola will be banned from using Ndukwe in the Premier League this season due to work permit issues. The teenager lacks the points required for a British work permit to play for Liverpool’s first team this season.
As a result, Liverpool are expected to loan Ndokwe to ensure consistent first-team minutes and increase his work permit points.
Liverpool signed Ndukwe from Austria Vienna in January for a fee believed to be worth around £2.5 million, but it was not until this summer that the youngster officially completed his move to Anfield.
Ndukwe will continue to be involved in Liverpool’s pre-season preparations before moving on loan from the club.
At the time, Vienna’s sporting director Michael Wagner explained why Ndukwe’s move to Liverpool was a win-win.
He said: “We are extremely honored that one of the best football clubs in the world has shown an interest in one of our players.
“The contract with Liverpool FC is structured in such a way that Austria Wien can succeed in any scenario, regardless of whether the option is exercised or not.
“For me, this is a clear win-win situation for both clubs. Above all, this story is a great tribute to the great work that goes on every day in our academy.”
“We have a lot of players here with great potential, so in the future we want to exploit that even more and use it as a springboard for talented players to break into Europe’s top leagues. Austria Wien is the right club for that.”
“We knew there would be a lot of interest, especially after three players from the U17 team reached the World Cup finals.
“Fundamentally, our goal is for talented players to first establish themselves in the first team and thereby recommend themselves for higher assignments.
“In this case, the overall package, which included both Liverpool FC’s offer to Austria and the prospect of signing Ifeanyi Ndukwe, was perfect for everyone involved.”
