Liverpool's loanees: What next for Bajcetic, Doak, Danns and more?
While Liverpool have moved swiftly to add to their squad, there are a number of players already in situ whose futures are unclear.
Alongside first-team players such as Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, others returning from loan moves are waiting to find out the next step in their development.
From senior players whose futures surely lie away from Anfield, to those who will be keen to impress during pre-season, and others anxious to take the next step in their development, there are plenty of decisions to be made.
The Athletic looked at all of the players returning from loan moves this summer and assessed what the future may hold for them.
Age: 20
Loans last season: Red Bull Salzburg, Las Palmas
Of the returning loanees, the upcoming pre-season feels the most significant for Bajcetic, who will have the opportunity to force his way into head coach Arne Slot's plans.
The central midfielder was a breakout star in 2022-23, during a period of that season when Liverpool were struggling, but injuries hampered his ability to build on it and last season was earmarked as crucial to building senior appearances.
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While Liverpool were happy with the number of minutes he had played until that point, given the injury problems he had overcome, the decision was made to relocate him to Las Palmas. It proved to be the correct decision as he started 12 matches in La Liga, including some impressive displays.
All options are on the table for Bajcetic. There will be temporary and permanent transfer interest, but a strong pre-season could see him form part of Slot's midfield unit heading into next season. Playing regularly feels key and if Ryan Gravenberch stays fit, that could limit his opportunities significantly.
Age: 19
Loans last season: Middlesbrough
Doak's loan was going from strength to strength after he nailed down a regular place in Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough side. His three goals and seven assists in 24 appearances suggested he was developing the end product some observers had questioned.
His performances drew interest from, among others, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, who both saw bids rejected with Liverpool's valuation much higher than the £15million and £16million offers made in January.
The decision was made for Doak to stay put and continue his development, but shortly after the window closed, he suffered a thigh injury which required surgery and ruled him out for the rest of the campaign. It was the second surgery required in as many seasons after he missed a large portion of 2023-24 due to a serious knee injury.
If clubs return for Doak this summer – rivals Everton are the latest to be linked – then it may suit Liverpool to cash in. As Fabio Carvalho discovered last summer, even a strong pre-season may not sway Slot's opinion.
Age: 22
Loans last season: Blackburn Rovers
Another impressive Championship performer, Beck was a consistent starter for Blackburn Rovers, a club Liverpool have strong development links with having had success with Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton previously.
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Similar to Doak, an injury in February prevented the left-back from building on a strong first half of the campaign. A hamstring injury kept him out for seven Championship games and his return against Portsmouth at the end of March lasted 10 minutes before a recurrence ended his season.
The hope from Beck's perspective had been to make an impact in pre-season, especially with the questions surrounding both Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. He may still get that opportunity, but left-back is an area Liverpool have prioritised addressing this summer — Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez is highly coveted — and it may be time for Beck to seek a permanent switch rather than a temporary one.
Age: 19
Loans last season: Stoke City
The ideal loan for players involves a settled environment, but Koumas experienced the opposite at Stoke. The forward played under three different permanent managers last season — Steven Schumacher, Narcis Pelach and Mark Robins — and caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross twice, as they battled Championship relegation.
Koumas remained a regular starter for the half of the season, but he was used more from the bench by Robins, making 49 appearances overall.
He is currently away on international duty with Wales and discussions about the next steps of his development will take place afterwards. There are likely to be plenty of suitors with another loan move sensible, unless, like with other youngsters, a tempting permanent offer arrives.
Age: 19
Loans last season: Sunderland
Danns was one of the youngsters able to enjoy Liverpool's Premier League title celebration from the team bus. Had things turned out slightly different, he would have been celebrating Sunderland's promotion to the top division.
The decision was made to allow him to leave on loan late in the January window. However, a back issue flagged during his medical meant he remained at Liverpool for rehabilitation. Problems with his back had seen him miss a large portion of the first half of the season and he was eventually ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Danns is one of the players who will have an opportunity to impress during pre-season in what could be a tumultuous summer for Liverpool's forward line. Logic dictates that regular game time at senior level would be best for his development and he won't be short of suitors.
Age: 21
Loans last season: Dundee United
Stephenson took his opportunity to impress in pre-season last summer at right-back. That earned him a move to Dundee United and Stephenson played multiple positions for the Scottish side, although he was predominantly deployed in his natural position, centre midfield.
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He helped them qualify for the Europa Conference League, and while he also finished the campaign injured, he won the club's young player of the season award. Manager Jim Goodwin has spoken about wanting to bring Stephenson, who made 34 appearances, back next season, but competition for his signature would not be surprising.
Age: 28
Loans last season: Derby County
Phillips' season-long loan at Championship side Derby County saw him establish himself at the heart of the defence around December and he never relinquished that starting role.
The 28-year-old battled relegation and turned into a key performer under John Eustace, who was appointed in February, as they survived by finishing 19th. The expectation is that this summer will be the time for Phillips to move on. Eustace made it clear he would like to keep the centre-back following the final game of the season and interest is expected from other Championship clubs.
Age: 24
Loans last season: Morecambe
Phillips' fellow centre-back from that chaotic 2020-21 campaign spent last season in League Two, but Williams could not prevent Morecambe being relegated to non-League. He was a regular under Derek Adams but, like Phillips, his future lies away from Anfield. It is yet to be determined if that will be another temporary move or a permanent switch.
Age: 20
Loans last season: Norwich City, Portsmouth
There was once so much hope and expectation for Gordon after his arrival as a 16-year-old from Derby County. Now 20, he is unfortunately becoming a prime example of how development can be halted by injury problems.
The winger missed more than 18 months of action between 2021 and 2023 and has been trying to make up for lost time ever since. Given the opportunity to gain first-team experience in the Championship, his spell at Norwich was underwhelming and ended in January. He switched to Portsmouth, where he also failed to make his mark. His combined 327 minutes across 15 Championship appearances were far from ideal and more senior football has to be the priority for the upcoming campaign.
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Age: 21
Loans last season: Wigan Athletic, Kilmarnock
The right-back position has been a key topic of conversation in recent weeks following Trent Alexander-Arnold's exit. Liverpool moved quickly to put in place a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong to challenge Conor Bradley, but in an alternate universe, it would be Ramsay providing that competition.
Ramsay has become a forgotten man. He signed from Aberdeen for an initial £4m in 2022, making his two senior appearances that year. Injuries, though, have derailed him. A serious knee injury ruled him out for the rest of 2022-23 and they plagued him during loans at Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers last year.
Two disappointing loans have turned into four this season. Ramsay spent the first half of the season on loan at Wigan, making five starts in 12 appearances, before he was recalled and sent to Scottish side Kilmarnock, where he made eight appearances (one start) and played just 128 minutes. The key for the upcoming season is finding a team where he will play consistently, and that's likely to come via a temporary move.
Age: 20
Loans last season: Wigan Athletic
Continuing the injury theme, it was a stop-start campaign for Chambers, who also joined Wigan last summer. The left-back was a regular until a back injury suffered in October ruled him out until the new year.
He returned to Liverpool for rehabilitation, but his loan was not cancelled and he returned to action in March. That was short-lived, however, as his back problems reappeared after two appearances and he was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Age: 20
Loans last season: Millwall
Fellow left-back Scanlon fared even worse as his three appearances in January at Millwall, after coming back from a long-term injury, led to another injury lay-off. The 20-year-old required hamstring surgery, which ended his season.
Age: 22
Loans last season: Gillingham
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Corness was hoping to build on the first team experience he enjoyed on loan at Swiss side Lausanne in 2023-24 when he joined League Two Gillingham in February. The central midfielder featured in the first four games but was then not involved in 10 of the next 13 matchday squads.
Alongside disruption caused by a minor injury, Gillingham then went through a managerial change as interim manager John Coleman was replaced in March by Gareth Ainsworth. Corness eventually featured in the final two league games, starting one. Given his age, Corness needs to be playing regular senior football, so Liverpool's decision to release him — confirmed last week — makes sense for all parties.
Age: 21
Loans last season: Gillingham
Mrozek began the 2024-25 season on loan at Swedish side Brommapojkarna midway through their campaign but managed only five appearances before he dropped to the bench. He moved to non-League side Forest Green Rovers in January and clocked up more minutes, making 11 consecutive league starts – keeping three clean sheets – and impressing club officials, before a groin injury ended his season early.
Age: 22
Loans last season: Utsiktens (ongoing)
Mrozek's fellow goalkeeper joined Swedish second-tier side Utsiktens three months ago for the beginning of their league season, which runs from March until November, but Liverpool confirmed he was being released last Friday.
Age: 22
Loans last season: Shelbourne FC (ongoing)
Norris was an unused substitute on four occasions for Liverpool's senior team after being named on the bench against Champions League opponents Girona and PSV as well as Southampton (Carabao Cup) and Plymouth Argyle (FA Cup).
The left-back's last senior appearance came in 2021 and he is currently gaining first-team experience with Shelbourne in the League of Ireland. Managed by former Chelsea and Newcastle midfielder Damien Duff, they signed Norris in February, with their season running until November. Therefore, Norris knows where he will be for the next six months and he has been a regular, making 17 appearances so far.
(Top photos: Jayden Danns, left, and Stefan Bajcetic; Getty Images)
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