The defender Liverpool acquired five years ago has yet to make his senior debut for Jurgen Klopp’s squad
Many players view a loan as the ideal opportunity to show their parent club just how talented they are.
An individual who recently left Liverpool in search of consistent first-team playing time and returned to Anfield in a strong position to force his way into Jurgen Klopp’s plans is Harvey Elliott. Others, like Harry Wilson and Rhian Brewster, improved their reputations while succeeding during their brief absences from L4 before being bought out for hefty sums of money.
However, not everyone who is released by the Reds with the intention of furthering their careers is given the chance to demonstrate the skills they have picked up elsewhere. Taiwo Awoniyi, a striker signed by Liverpool in 2015, spent seven different loan periods away from Anfield before leaving the club permanently in 2021 to join Bundesliga team Union Berlin. Despite the fact that opportunities were scarce during this time due to work permit problems, the Nigerian was never once called upon by the Reds.
The 25-year-old was signed by Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £17.5 million after scoring 15 goals in 31 league appearances the previous season. Ironically, the forward scored the game’s lone goal when playing Liverpool back in October, seizing the opportunity to shine in the English Premier League.
Although Awoniyi may no longer be a Red, a current Liverpool player has had similar experiences to the forward from Forest. Defender Anderson Arroyo was signed in 2018 from Fortaleza in his native Colombia after being spotted by scouts thanks to his performances at the 2017 Under-20s South American Youth Championship.
Without a work permit, Arroyo was sent on an 18-month loan to Real Mallorca as soon as he was acquired by Liverpool. He was immediately assigned to the Spanish club’s B-team. This was cut short at the conclusion of the 2017–18 campaign when the 23-year-old, along with the aforementioned Awoniyi, agreed to a temporary transfer to Belgian club Gent. He did not, however, make a senior appearance.
The chance to play for Klopp’s team was on the table during the club’s 2019 preseason tour of America, but a fractured metatarsal sustained in training ended any chance of traveling with the rest of the team. The top-flight Czech team Mlada Boleslav was the next team to take a chance on Arroyo the following year after recovering from this six-week blow, but this, too, turned out to be a failure for all parties involved.
His three loan destinations—Salamanca first, then Mirandes, and now Alaves—have all been in Spain. His time at Mirandes proved to be especially advantageous as he participated in 39 of the team’s 42 second-tier games.
The right-back, who can also play center-back and is currently aiming for promotion to La Liga with Alaves, has been relegated to a supporting role and, based on the evidence at hand, is unlikely to return to the club for a second stint next season.
It was somewhat unexpected to see the defender sign a new contract at Anfield until 2025 since he still lacks a work permit to represent Liverpool in England. Arroyo, who the team is obviously not ready to give up on just yet, has a similar outlook on his long-term prospects on Merseyside. When discussing his desire to play for the team in the future with WFI in 2020, he said: “The truth is that it is my goal, my wish, and my dream to be able to make my debut for Liverpool.
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