3 IFEANYI NDUKWE during the match between Villarreal CF and Levante UD, from LaLiga EASports, matchweek 7, disputed at the La Ceramica Stadium Valencia
3 IFEANYI NDUKWE during the match between Villarreal CF and Levante UD, from LaLiga EASports, matchweek 7, disputed at the La Ceramica Stadium Valencia
Ifeanyi Ndukwe has made himself a regular fixture in Levante’s backline since arriving at the Spanish club on loan in the summer.
The 18-year-old Austria international has featured in five matches for the La Liga side, a run that includes a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Sevilla earlier this month.
That goal, scored in the 100th minute of a frantic 3-3 draw, underlined how quickly Ndukwe has adapted to senior football in Spain. It was his first start for the club, having previously been restricted to substitute appearances since his move.
Liverpool signed the centre-back in January for an initial fee of £2.6 million (around €3 million), though FIFA rules meant he could not join the squad until turning 18 in March.
He trained with Andoni Iraola’s first team during pre-season, impressing in a friendly against Sunderland, before an immediate loan to Levante was arranged because he did not qualify for a UK work permit ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Levante have since used Ndukwe as an important defensive stabiliser, and his form has not gone unnoticed back on Merseyside.
Representatives from his management agency, More Than Sport by AS1, are set to meet Liverpool officials this weekend to discuss his next steps.
The talks will address whether Ndukwe returns to Anfield in January or continues his development with a further loan spell in Spain.
Crucially, the defender has already secured enough points to qualify for a UK work permit. Those points were earned through his first appearance for Levante, when he was brought on as a substitute against Barcelona in September.
That detail matters because it removes the regulatory obstacle that forced Liverpool to send him out on loan in the first place. Any recall would still depend on Liverpool being able to guarantee him suitable game time once back in the first-team squad.
Ndukwe’s representatives said in August that Liverpool had made clear he remains part of their long-term planning, with the agency telling Sky Sport Austria the club were “100 per cent committed” to him.
The defender, who stands at 6’5″, also helped Austria reach the final of the 2025 Under-17 World Cup, where they finished runners-up to Portugal.
Whatever is decided this weekend, Ndukwe’s five appearances and one goal for Levante have given Liverpool a clearer picture of his readiness for competitive football, with the coming days expected to shape the next stage of his development.
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