Liverpool begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign this weekend with a trip to St James’ Park. The Reds face Newcastle United on Sunday in what will be Andoni Iraola’s first competitive match as head coach.
Iraola has a largely available squad to choose from for the opener. Virgil van Dijk and Ronald Araujo are expected to start at centre-back, with Jeremy Jacquet providing cover while Giovanni Leoni still working his way back from an ACL injury.
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That depth means Liverpool can rotate without a significant drop in quality across the campaign.
Not every defender at the club will be involved this weekend, however. One of Liverpool’s newest arrivals is already settling into life away from Anfield, on the other side of the transfer market.
According to a video posted on social media by German Munoz, centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe is already in Valencia. The 18-year-old is set to join Levante on loan from Liverpool.
Levante and Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement for the move, according to Sky Australia. The La Liga club will cover Ndukwe’s salary in full for the duration of the loan.
The deal does not include a purchase option, which underlines Liverpool’s intention to keep control of the defender’s long-term future.
Ndukwe joined Liverpool this summer from Austria Wien, in a deal worth around £2.6 million that was agreed in January. Scouts were convinced by his performances for Austria at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Standing at 6ft 6in, Ndukwe has drawn comparisons to Liverpool captain Van Dijk in terms of physical presence. He impressed during pre-season, including in the 3-2 defeat to Monaco at Anfield, where he lined up alongside the Dutch defender.
The loan move is required because Ifeanyi Ndukwe does not currently hold a UK work permit.
As a young overseas player, he needs to accumulate enough points through matches in a top-tier league before Liverpool can apply for a Governing Body Endorsement.
La Liga qualifies as a Band 1 league for that purpose, meaning Ndukwe earns points simply by being included in Levante’s matchday squad.
Levante are short on senior centre-back options and are prepared to give him regular first-team opportunities.
🐸 INFO #LevanteUD
‼️ Noticia.
✈️ IFEANYI NDUKWE ya está en VALENCIA como os contamos ayer.
✅️ El central llega al LEVANTE CEDIDO del LIVERPOOL. https://t.co/FtTtm6oEa7 pic.twitter.com/IwnGuvWEUI
— Germán Muñoz (@German_ml23) August 20, 2026