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This summer is shaping up to be another period of significant change at Liverpool, with new head coach Andoni Iraola looking to reshape his first-team squad while the club continue their long-term rebuild at academy level.
Spain international winger Victor Munoz became Iraola’s first signing after Liverpool triggered his release clause at Osasuna earlier this month.
Meanwhile, centre-back Jeremy Jacquet is set to join from Rennes following an agreement reached in January. A dozen players across the first team and Academy are officially leaving the club today, although several have already secured their next moves.
According to the Liverpool Echo, midfielder Luca Stephenson is close to completing a permanent transfer to Championship side Bolton Wanderers.
Stephenson spent the last two seasons on loan at Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership, where he was a regular starter before his most recent campaign was cut short by injury.
The 22-year-old is now in the final year of his Liverpool contract and has been involved with the first-team squad during the past two pre-seasons, although he is yet to make a competitive senior appearance.
He has now been given permission to leave and is on the verge of completing a move to Bolton Wanderers for around £700,000.
The Trotters, managed by former Everton midfielder Steven Schumacher, secured promotion to the Championship via the play-offs last season after a 4-1 victory over Stockport County at Wembley.
Stephenson joined Liverpool’s academy from Sunderland at U15 level, later captaining the U18s and featuring in both the UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy, as well as spending time on loan at League Two side Barrow in 2023/24.
In total, he made 67 appearances for Dundee United over two seasons, scoring eight goals and registering seven assists, primarily operating as a right wing-back. Stephenson had earlier hinted that a summer departure could be on the cards as he weighed up his next career step.
“It’s going to be an important summer for me. If I’m around, I’ll be looking to get on that pre-season tour [Liverpool are off to the United States again in July and early August], hopefully get some minutes, and impress,” Stephenson said in an interview with the Athletic.
“I’m at the age now where I need to be playing first-team football, like I have done for the past couple of seasons. If that’s at Liverpool, fantastic. If it’s not, I’ll find a new adventure, like the other boys who have left and done really well.”