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Liverpool loanee’s return to club clouded by unfortunate injury setback

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The player hasn’t enjoyed the best season so far.

Arne Slot has had an extremely mixed 2025.

Winning the Premier League in May and going on to spend a record-breaking amount of money in the summer has not materialised into a successful second season in charge for the Dutchman thus far.

The Reds currently sit in fourth place, which is by no means the end of the world, but they were once in 12th place, and their record makes for grim reading with six losses and three draws in nineteen games.

As a result, there is an expectation that Liverpool will dive back into the transfer market in January in an attempt to solve some of their issues on the pitch.

Whilst it is important for Richard Hughes and co. to look outwards, they have also been keeping a key eye on those within the club.

Specifically, players sent out on loan this season.

Harvey Elliott was loaned to Aston Villa with an obligation for his new club if the Englishman made 10 appearances.

However, that now appears unlikely with Unai Emery rumoured to not be keen on the former Liverpool player.

Elsewhere, James McConnell has returned from his loan spell with Ajax early after his loan deal was terminated.

Whilst neither club have confirmed the termination, McConnell is said to be back on Merseyside after a frustrating time in Holland.

The midfielder played just 219 minutes for the Eredivisie side and hadn’t featured since November.

Whilst returning to Liverpool could provide a chance for McConnell to return to the first team set-up, that appears unlikely at this stage given an untimely injury blow.

McConnell is carrying an injury that will most certainly keep him out of the upcoming games, including one that he’d otherwise be nailed on to play, as Liverpool face Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup on January 12th.

The exact injury is said to be unknown and therefore the timescale that he will be out for but continuous setbacks that led Ajax to leave McConnell out of six games due to fitness related issues shows that this hasn’t been a short-term problem for the player.

Liverpool will look to get McConnell back up to fitness before discussing his next steps.

It remains to be seen whether Arne Slot will re-integrate him, or he will head out on another loan, with West Brom, Derby, Oxford and Swansea all credited with an interest in the player.

Read more: Barrow AFC officially appoint former Liverpool man as assistant coach

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