Ifeanyi Ndukwe looks to be heading to Levante on loan, and the decision to send him to Spain could get him in Liverpool's first team ASAP amid his work permit issues
Liverpool center-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe is heading out on loan
Liverpool center-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe is heading out on loan(Image: Lewis Storey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Without the necessary requirements having been met for Ifeanyi Ndukwe to earn a work permit, the Liverpool center-back was always going to head out on loan this season.
After arriving from Austria Vienna in a deal worth around $3.5 million (£2.6 million) this summer, the 18-year-old impressed during preseason, starring alongside a variety of partners at the back.
But Ndukwe and Liverpool already knew that no matter how well he did, he would not be playing for Andoni Iraola's men when the competitive stuff gets underway at Newcastle this weekend. Instead, it looks like he will be heading to Levante.
Finishing near the bottom of the table in Spain last season, the La Liga outfit, it has been widely reported, is leading the chase for the defender's signature.
And moving to a top league in Europe means that Ndukwe can collect the points required for his work permit more quickly.
Had he returned to Austria, for instance, it would have taken longer for him to prove himself worthy of the status required to get the paperwork sorted out.
Ndukwe impressed during Liverpool's preseason campaign
Ndukwe impressed during Liverpool's preseason campaign(Image: Lewis Storey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
It is possible that Ndukwe could have done enough to qualify to play for Liverpool by January, at which point he could be recalled.
That, though, would not be ideal for Levante, who would then be missing a key player from the first half of the season. For Ndukwe to qualify, he would have to have played the majority of the games in the meantime.
Speaking to the Danish outlet Tipsbladet, Ndukwe’s agent, Georg Lederer, confirmed recently that he was in talks with a number of clubs, including some in Denmark.
"I can't say which clubs we are in dialogue with, but I can confirm that we are in dialogue with Danish clubs about Ifeanyi Ndukwe," Lederer said.
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"The only thing I can say is that we are not talking about the top clubs in Denmark. We are also talking to several foreign clubs, but right now we need to decide, in collaboration with Liverpool, where Ifeanyi will fit best.
"We are looking at several different parameters. First and foremost, it is about Ifeanyi getting a lot of playing time, and then Liverpool are also looking at what type of football clubs play, as they want him in a high-pressing defense, so it is a bit like what you see in Liverpool.
"Since Ifeanyi has just arrived at Liverpool, it is of course a loan agreement without an option to buy, but for now I can't see much more."