Richard Hughes could allow two Liverpool youngsters to leave on loan this month (Image: Getty)
sporting director Richard Hughes is reportedly prepared to let two promising youngsters leave on loan in the January transfer window.
A handful of Reds up-and-comers were given a chance to impress in the 4-0 win over on Saturday. Tyler Morton and Rio Ngumoha started the game, while James McConnell and Jayden Danns came off the bench.
According to , are willing to consider loan offers for Danns and McConnell in order to give them a prolonged taste of senior football. Both players have been knocking on the door of the Reds’ first team over the past 12 months.
McConnell made 10 appearances in all competitions last season, and Danns already boasts three goals, including the third against Accrington at the weekend. manager may wish to call on Danns and McConnell in the fourth round of the FA Cup against Plymouth Argyle on February 8.
But the potential benefits of the pair earning their stripes in the EFL could well outweigh the positives of one run-out against the Pilgrims.
-born McConnell, 20, joined up with ‘s academy from Sunderland in 2019, while 18-year-old Danns – son of former footballer Neil – has been working his way through the Reds’ ranks since he was a schoolboy.
Jayden Danns (left) and James McConnell are both knocking on the door of the Liverpool first team (Image: Getty)
Slot was asked about Danns’ future after his latest goal-scoring cameo, saying: “I don’t know [what the plan is] at the moment. We gave some playing time to a few youngsters. What I like most about him and most of the academy players is the mentality they have.
“He will, like all of the other academy players, give all he has. And James McConnell is also another perfect example of that. If that is your mentality, you can reach it and definitely get the most of your potential and that’s what is going to happen with him.”
Slot may hope that Danns and McConnell are the only two players to leave Anfield in January. is the subject of a winter bid from Real Madrid, but are determined to keep him until the end of the season, at which point his current contract will expire.
Meanwhile Federico Chiesa is attracting interest from Serie A just four-and-a-half months after completing a switch from Juventus. The Italian scored his first goal against Accrington and Slot may be reluctant to let him leave.