LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe lines-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe lines-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LaLiga has emerged as the destination for impressive centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe, with Liverpool required to send the teenager on loan this season.
The 18-year-old was a surprise standout during Liverpool’s pre-season, stepping up admirably after his summer switch from Austria Vienna.
As he has not qualified for a UK work permit, however, he must make a temporary move at the start of the season to earn the points required to return as early as January.
According to Sky Austria, Ndukwe “is on the verge” of a loan move to Levante, with the teenager expected to fly to Spain “in the coming days” for a season-long deal.
The news was later corroborated by Radio Marca Valencia, who state Ndukwe is “very close to finalising” a move, though The Times‘ Paul Joyce was less declarative, adding the “deal [is] not done yet.”
The LaLiga side finished above the relegation places last season thanks only to their head-to-head record, after finishing on the same points as relegated Mallorca.
They are in need of centre-back reinforcements after loan deals for Matias Moreno and Alan Matturro ended, and Unai Elgezabal’s contract expired.
Jorge Cabello (22) and Aissa Mandi (34) have since been added to their squad, but Ndukwe would have a clear path to minutes, which Liverpool need to guarantee for a work permit.
Why Levante loan would get Ifeanyi Ndukwe a UK work permit
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe during the pre-match warm-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. Leeds won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe during the pre-match warm-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. Leeds won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ndukwe has to be sent on loan to accumulate the necessary points to receive a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) from the FA, which Liverpool will then use to obtain a work visa.
To qualify automatically, Ndukwe needs to score 15 points across several categories, and that means Liverpool have to find a club in a Band 1-3 league that will give him minutes.
LaLiga is a Band 1 league, and he would receive points just for being named in a matchday squad, with more accumulated with the amount of minutes he plays.
READ NEXT
Liverpool use Djed Spence deal as benchmark in talks for Curtis Jones
The 6’6″ defender could theoretically be recalled in January if he has enough points and it is included in the deal, but that is only likely in the event of a crisis at Anfield after the arrival of Ronald Araujo.
Ndukwe would be tasked with a lot of defending at Levante – they had the joint second-most defeats in LaLiga last season – but Liverpool would want assurances that they will not be quick to drop the youngster when results suffer.