**Liverpool used a handful of young players in pre-season when most of their senior players were unavailable during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.**
And Ifeanyi Ndukwe made a massive impression under Andoni Iraola with a string of assured displays at the heart of the backline.
The 18-year-old wasn’t eligible for a work permit in England, due to which he had to be loaned out to La Liga side Levante.
And although Levante lost 4-2 to Barcelona yesterday, Ndukwe came on in the second half as a late substitute to make his long-awaited debut for the club.
And Luis Castro suggested that the youngster is coming along quite well after swapping Liverpool for Spain.
“They’ve been playing well, but I think they’ll improve,” said the Levante boss after the game when asked about Ndukwe.
“Petar has just arrived and has made some tactical errors that he needs to iron out. Ndukwe has come in well.
“They’ll help us in the future. We’re gaining more players, and I think it’s important for the future to have more options.”
> 🔴 Ifeanyi Ndukwe has now made his debut for Levante after three games as an unused sub.
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> Crucial in bid to earn work permit for [#LFC](https://x.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).