James Pearce has reported that one player is set to depart Liverpool imminently, with the January transfer window now in progress.
The prospect of big-name exits from Anfield is a major talking point at the beginning of 2025, with uncertainty continuing to abound over the futures of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold now that they’re into the final six months of their respective contracts.
It remains to be seen whether or not that trio will remain at the club, but there’s one youngster who looks certain to leave Merseyside in the coming weeks.
Pearce gave a series of updates on potential ins and out at Liverpool in the latest edition of The Athletic‘s Transfer DealSheet.
Although the journalist downplayed the likelihood of new signings for the Reds in January, he has indicated that some players could depart.
One of those is Calum Scanlon, who ‘will return’ to Millwall this month, having been on loan at the Championship outfit earlier in the season before returning to Anfield following a back injury, from which he’s now recovered.
The young defender will be hoping for a better turn of fortune when he returns to The Den, having only made one appearance for the Lions prior to that cruelly-timed injury setback.
The 19-year-old has had just a couple of first-team outings for Liverpool so far, although he’s already left an impression on several coaches who’ve worked with him. His former academy boss James Atkins hailed him as ‘lightning quick’ and ‘technically very good’, while Jurgen Klopp has previously described him as ‘fun to watch’.
Pearce acknowledged that ‘the left-back position has been a topic of debate’ among Reds supporters, with Andy Robertson turning 31 in March and enduring a difficult season, while Kostas Tsimikas has never managed to hold down a lasting claim for a starting berth at Anfield.
Similar to how Conor Bradley is in line to succeed Trent if the latter leaves for Real Madrid, could Scanlon be a long-term option in the other full-back position at Liverpool, even as a second-in-command behind an established starter?
Hopefully the talented teenager can steer clear of any further injury problems and enjoy regular game-time when he goes back to Millwall, who’ve had a change of manager since he last played for them four months ago.
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