Ten Liverpool players have joined new clubs are temporary deals this season, but things haven't been working out too well for most of them
Harvey Elliot left Liverpool to join Aston Villa on loan
Harvey Elliot left Liverpool to join Aston Villa on loan(Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock)
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With Liverpool bringing in several new signings last summer inevitably some players had to make way to make space for the incomers, however not all personnel that left are gone for good.
Arne Slot sent some of his potential stars of the future off on loan to the lower leagues of English football and top European divisions, in the hope they receive the gametime and experience that could eventually help Liverpool in the time ahead, either on the pitch or financially. Here’s how Liverpool’s 10 loanees and how they are getting on at their new clubs.
Harvey Davies
After going on loan to Crewe Alexandra last season, Harvey Davies is back out to League Two, again on a temporary basis, but this time to Crawley, after signing a new contract with Liverpool in June this year.
The 22-year-old has already got 12 appearances under his belt this season, and last week returned from a finger injury sustained during training.
He has two clean sheets so far in League Two, but Crawley are struggling, finding themselves two points outside of the relegation zone with only 16 points from 16 games.
Vitezslav Jaros
Another goalkeeper that Liverpool tied down on a new deal before their loan departure was Vitezslav Jaros. The Czechia international put pen to paper before moving to Ajax on a one season loan, where he was reunited with former Liverpool assistant coach John Heitinga, who moved to the Dutch side in May, assuming the role of head coach.
This comes after the 24-year-old made his first senior appearances for the Reds last season, coming on for Alisson Becker in the second half of a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
He then proceeded to start the fourth round of the Carabao Cup against Brighton, coming home from the South Coast with a 3-2 victory. Jaros started the Eredivisie campaign as Heitinga’s number one, making 11 appearances in all competitions, however, he has since been dropped following a poor run of form, with Heitinga eventually sacked as boss earlier this month.
Liverpool players James McConnell and Vitezslav Jaros, who are on loan at Ajax
Liverpool players James McConnell and Vitezslav Jaros, who are on loan at Ajax(Image: Stefan Koop/EYE4images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Kostas Tsimikas
After five seasons on Merseyside, the popular Kostas Tsimikas moved away from England due to the arrival of Milos Kerkez and Andy Robertson remaining at the club. His destination was Roma on a season-long loan.
During his time at Anfield the 29-year-old won a Premier League, two EFL Cups and an FA Cup, amassing 115 appearances for the Reds and providing 18 assists during that time.
The Greek international has struggled to cement a place Gian Piero Gasperini’s first XI at Roma though, with the left-back only starting five times in all competitions so far this season, whilst having Wesley also fighting for the spot.
Tsimikas provided his first assist in the Europa League win against Nice, and played 90 minutes for Greece in Saturday's 3-2 win over Andy Robertson's Scotland.
Owen Beck
Fellow left-back Owen Beck is spending another season out on loan, this time Derby County, after periods at Blackburn, Dundee and Bolton during his career.
So far, the loan move isn’t quite working out for the Welshman, as the 23-year-old is yet to make a single appearance for John Eustace’s side, after a hamstring injury that kept him out for the start of the campaign, and from there he has struggled to get back to full fitness.
Beck recently returned to full training, but staff back in Liverpool will hope he can start to get some minutes under his belt and build off the 24 appearances he gained at Blackburn last year.
Isaac Mabaya
Another youngster sent into the lower divisions of English football is Isaac Mabaya, who is spending his time at League One side Wigan.
Mabaya was given 20 minutes in back-to-back league matches, against Northampton and Leyton Orient, before being given his first start for the club in a EFL Cup game with Notts County.
To the disappointment of both Wigan and Liverpool, the 21-year-old was stretchered off in the 29th minute of that game with an Achilles injury that has since required surgery.
Luca Stephenson
After featuring heavily in Liverpool’s 2025/26 pre-season, Luke Stephenson completed the move for his second loan spell at Scottish Premiership side, Dundee United, though not before signing a new contract with the Reds. The 22-year-old has played 10 times so far, scoring a brace against Hibernian and a goal against Hearts in the process.
United find themselves seventh in the Scottish Premiership with the young Englishman starting most games, which will please the staff back in Liverpool.
Luca Stephenson has become a regular with Dundee United
Luca Stephenson has become a regular with Dundee United
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James McConnell
As well as Jaros, Ajax have borrowed another one Liverpool’s youngsters by also signing James McConnell on loan for the season. The trend was continued by the hierarchy offering the 21-year-old a new deal in August, before allowing the midfielder to make the move to the Dutch giants.
But under the now departed Heitinga, things aren’t quite working out for McConnell in the Netherlands, with only two starts in seven appearances for the Englishman, one of those being the 5-1 defeat away at Chelsea in the Champions League. McConnell also suffered a small injury whist at Ajax, but since his return in early October he has slowly started to get more minutes.
James Balagizi
Dropping down to the National League is James Balagizi who signed for Forest Green Rovers this season. After loan spells at Crawley, Wigan and Kilmarnock, the 22-year-old is now battling for places as his side look towards promotion, with Rovers sitting top after 19 games.
But despite eight appearances so far this season, Balagizi mostly comes off the bench, with starts in Robbie Savage’s National League side limited. Similarly to McConnell, Liverpool will hope their loanees can get a few more minutes, with both now in their early twenties.
Harvey Elliott
The most well-known loanee on the list, Harvey Elliott’s deadline day move was on the cards for most of the window, with Aston Villa the side that eventually picked up the talented Englishman.
Unlike the other loaned players, Elliott’s move to Birmingham has a high chance of becoming permanent, depending on if the attacking midfielder meets the appearance threshold of 10 matches that was set between the two clubs when the transfer wasagreed.
It looks likely that the 22-year-old will meet that number, however it hasn’t been completely smooth-sailing for Elliott under Unai Emery. Most of the five appearances that he’s made were from the bench, with only one goal so far, and he failed to make the bench for the recent 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
Elliott’s start at Villa Park isn’t what he would’ve wanted. If the Villains do buy the Englishman, Liverpool will receive a £35 million transfer fee.
Lewis Koumas
The first time most Liverpool supporters might have heard of Lewis Koumas is when he popped up with a goal against Southampton at Anfield in the fifth round of the FA Cup back in February of 2024.
Since then, the Welsh international completed a very good loan at Championship side Stoke City, playing 49 times for the Potters and getting nine goal contributions in that time. The winger has returned to the second tier of English football for the 2025/26 season, with Birmingham City the destination on this occasion.
In his 13 appearances so far for the Blues Koumas has yet to get on the scoresheet and has mostly been used as an option from the bench, after starting the first two games of the campaign. Koumas also came off the bench for Wales in their 1-0 win at Liechtenstein on Saturday.