Liverpool youngster Conor Bradley could be given an opportunity to impress Jurgen Klopp in the Reds’ first team during their pre-season programme this summer.
The 19-year-old has had a productive spell on loan at Bolton this term, helping them to win the Papa Johns Trophy and push for the League One play-offs, and he could soon get a chance to show what he can do for his parent club.
The Athletic‘s Caoimhe O’Neill has reported that the Merseysiders plan on involving the right-back with the senior squad in pre-season, when his performances will help Anfield chiefs to determine his immediate future.
Depending on how Bradley fares with Liverpool over the summer, he could then be retained as backup in his position, sent on another loan move or possibly leave permanently.
The Northern Ireland youngster has already made an impression on Klopp, who last year described the teenager as a ‘wonderful, talented boy with a big heart’ and ‘a real fighter’, adding that ‘it’s a joy to have him around’ (One Football).
The German has already entrusted the right-back with five senior appearances at Liverpool, including one in the Champions League against AC Milan (Transfermarkt), but it’s his loan move to Bolton which has really seen him take off.
Bradley has already played 49 times for the Trotters this season, with a fine return of seven goals and six assists from his position, while he also started both of his country’s opening Euro 2024 qualifiers last month (Transfermarkt).
The right-sided defensive role at Anfield is the near-sole preserve of Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the Ulsterman may fancy his chances of vying with Calvin Ramsay for the status of go-to backup whenever the 24-year-old is unavailable or rested.
Opportunity knocks for the teenager in pre-season, and barring catastrophe between now and the end of his Bolton loan spell, he’ll go into the summer in a very strong position after his superb campaign with Ian Evatt’s side.