Liverpool will decide whether Jayden Danns would benefit from a loan move after the striker made his return to action on Friday. Danns came off the bench shortly after the hour to play his first minutes of the season during the Premier League 2 opener against Everton at Goodison.
Return from injury
The 20-year-old striker suffered a serious hamstring injury last September and then had a setback on his return to action in March before another hamstring problem early last month ruled him out of potential minutes with the senior team in pre-season.
Liverpool have one more U21s match at home to Leeds United next Sunday before the transfer window closes two days later, and the Reds are weighing up whether Danns would be best served having a greater opportunity of first-team minutes elsewhere over the coming months.
Coach's assessment
"He needs game time, but that (appearance at Everton) will definitely help him," said U21s head coach Rob Page. "He has looked really strong in training and that was a difficult game for him to come into - local derby, Everton away, Goodison Park. He couldn't wait to get out there. He is in a good place."
"There are conversations we can have now that he has played some minutes. Now he looks in good condition, the next step for us now is to have those conversations and have a sit down together as a collective, to do the right thing for Jayden, whatever that may be. We'll have conversations and we'll come up with the right thing for Dannsy."
Will Wright likely to stay
One player unlikely to depart on loan is 18-year-old striker Will Wright, who scored Liverpool's goal in the 1-1 draw against Everton having featured for the senior side during pre-season United States tour after previously making the first-team bench last term.
"If it is the right loan move and the right club that suits him, and we're going to get the best out of him, I can't imagine we'd ever turn it down," said Page. "But for Will's development, it might be that he stays in. We don't know. Let's get to the window, get things on the table or not, and we'll have a discussion if it's best for him to stay in and train and be around the first team until January, then fine."
Page added: "Our aim as development coaches is to get these players out playing competitive football - senior football if we can. Kieran Morrison is a great example of that. He has had a great 12 months and he is now playing at a big club in Sheffield Wednesday in League One. Hopefully he can have a successful season there. That is our job, and it's no different for these lads - we want to get as many out playing senior football."
"We have seen a difference in the players who have been up there with the seniors and dropped back down. We've seen that intensity, which is great. It gets the younger ones who have stepped up from the 18s this year a bit of an insight into what it's like, so it's all positive."
Iraola's impact
Page has also revealed the initial impact of new first-team head coach Andoni Iraola and conversations with the Basque. "He and his staff have been excellent and have been really welcoming," he said. "We have had many a meeting in the gaffer's office and he has spoken about his methodology and his identity and how he wants to be with and without the ball. I'm really excited about what the season looks like for us."
Meanwhile, Liverpool U18s twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at home to Middlesbrough in the U18 Premier League North on Saturday at Kirkby. Finn Inglethorpe scored both goals.
