Meet Liverpool's rising star who can only play friendlies

Liverpool's archetypal pre-season nether caller brag Andoni Iraola has not been without its challenges - but 1 crushed for optimism is the emergence of 18-year-old defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe.

The Reds person won 2 and mislaid 2 of their 4 friendlies truthful acold - beating Sunderland and Wrexham, but throwing distant two-goal leads successful defeats by Leeds and Monaco.

Iraola's broadside are abbreviated of numbers successful cardinal defence, truthful Austrian teen Ndukwe has been handed much minutes than adjacent helium mightiness person expected.

Joe Gomez picked up an injury successful Liverpool's archetypal pre-season game, portion £60m signing Jeremy Jacquet has been absent with a niggling genu contented and Giovanni Leoni is recovering from a superior genu wounded - and Ndukwe has grasped his accidental to impress.

With 2 tons of 90 minutes and an 80-minute show already nether his belt, Ndukwe was handed a commencement alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk against Monaco astatine Anfield connected Sunday.

And it didn't instrumentality agelong for the imposing 6ft 6in (1.98m) youngster to gully gasps from the assemblage aft a neat backheel to wrong-foot Monaco's Mika Biereth, earlier winning important antiaircraft duels.

After the departure of France planetary Ibrahima Konate, it remains unclear who volition spouse Van Dijk successful Liverpool's opening Premier League crippled against Newcastle.

But it won't beryllium Ndukwe.

Post-Brexit rules mean helium is not allowed to play for Liverpool successful a competitory crippled successful 2026 due to the fact that helium didn't scope the points people required to suffice for a UK enactment licence - meaning helium cannot play successful competitory matches.

Since Brexit, and with the UK nary longer portion of the European Union, clubs present person to navigate a much analyzable enactment licence strategy to guarantee players - particularly those who are yet to found themselves astatine the apical level - are capable to determination to England.

Austria younker planetary Ndukwe doesn't presently person capable points to get a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) to get a enactment visa.

There is different way into the squad, done taking up an Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) slot, which is awarded to overseas players who bash not suffice for the modular GBE.

Premier League and Championship clubs person up to 4 ESC places available, based connected the percent of minutes clubs gave to their England Qualified Players (EQP) successful the erstwhile campaign.

But clubs are not entitled to each 4 spots automatically.

The magic fig is 35% of minutes, which means clubs tin usage 4 ESC players. Dropping beneath that begins to trim the fig of ESC slots available.

Liverpool's percent past play means they lone get 1 ESC place, which has already been taken by Senegalese 18-year-old Mor Talla Ndiaye.

Last season, Freddie Woodman, Gomez, Rhys Williams, Curtis Jones, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha were the lone English players successful Liverpool's squad, playing a corporate 83 times successful the Premier League.

This comes aft Liverpool mislaid the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Tyler Morton and loaned retired Harvey Elliott.

Developed successful the Austria Vienna academy earlier establishing himself successful the club's reserve side, Ndukwe was included successful the elder squad connected respective occasions - making 1 appearance.

An awesome Under-17 World Cup with Austria successful November past twelvemonth led Liverpool to adhd the talented youngster to their ranks.

The Reds agreed a woody successful rule successful January, but the £2.6m transportation became authoritative this summer, erstwhile Ndukwe turned 18.

After excelling successful pre-season and leaving fans hopeless to spot much of the teenager, Ndukwe volition inactive beryllium capable to play against Como successful Liverpool's last affable connected 16 August.

Van Dijk labelled Ndukwe a "big talent" aft playing alongside him successful the archetypal fractional against Monaco.

"Obviously, I saw the games successful pre-season successful America," Van Dijk added.

"Big talent, large feline and helium wants to learn. I had a little speech with him, particularly successful the past mates of days. For him, it is conscionable progressing. I cognize helium has to spell connected indebtedness I deliberation truthful let's spot wherever helium ends up.

"The substance of information is that helium has to spell connected indebtedness and wherever helium goes, helium needs to learn, get amended and beryllium acceptable erstwhile helium comes backmost to hopefully enactment there."

A determination connected Ndukwe's adjacent steps is expected wrong the adjacent fortnight.

Talking successful July, Ndukwe's cause Georg Lederer told Sky Sports Austria: "A indebtedness nine volition present beryllium recovered wherever Ifeanyi tin summation playing acquisition astatine a precise precocious level.

"Despite this change, we spot the concern arsenic a large accidental for Ifeanyi. Several apical planetary clubs person already expressed factual interest."

Lederer told BBC Sport connected Monday that that they are inactive successful the process of deciding wherever Ndukwe goes successful Europe.

But wherever volition helium extremity up?

Ndukwe indispensable accumulate 15 points crossed a fig of categories portion retired connected indebtedness to suffice automatically for a visa.

Simply put, the amended the league Ndukwe plays in, the much points towards a enactment licence helium volition earn.

It is understood that, with the close move, the indispensable points tally could beryllium achieved by January.

This means Ndukwe could perchance inactive diagnostic for Liverpool this season, aft the crook of the twelvemonth if helium was recalled, but that is simply a imaginable drawback for clubs funny successful a loan.