Liverpool are reportedly willing to send one academy youngster out on loan in January, with numerous clubs keen on availing of his services.
According to Football Insider, Harvey Blair is a target for several teams in English League One, while he’s also believed to have interest from top-flight outfits in Belgium and Denmark.
Having only just returned to action for the under-21 side following a five-month layoff from a knee injury suffered in pre-season, the Reds are open to loaning out the 20-year-old in the winter transfer window so that he can regain match fitness and accrue senior game-time elsewhere.
Hailed by under-21 manager Barry Lewtas for his ‘excellent’ performances earlier this year (liverpoolfc.com), Blair was most unlucky to be hit by that serious injury over the summer. Otherwise, he could’ve joined the likes of Luke Chambers, Conor Bradley and James McConnell in being given senior minutes in the Europa League.
Thankfully, Jurgen Klopp appears to value the winger highly, having trained with Liverpool’s first team during pre-season and being named in the starting XI for the Carabao Cup win away to Preston in October 2021.
The 20-year-old is able to play on either flank, so his ultimate hope will be to fulfil the role as Mo Salah’s eventual long-term successor at Anfield, but right now he’s fallen behind fellow youngster Ben Doak in that regard and could do with playing more regularly elsewhere.
Let’s just hope that, if Blair is loaned out, he’ll go to a club where he’ll enjoy plenty of game-time. Fabio Carvalho’s abortive stint at RB Leipzig – which could reportedly be ended prematurely next month – serves as a cautionary tale for ill-judged loan moves.
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