One Liverpool defender is reportedly on the cusp of leaving Anfield on loan for the 2026/27 season.
With several of the Reds’ most recognisable starters missing the pre-season tour to the United States as they were on holidays after the World Cup, Andoni Iraola handed opportunities to a number of younger first-team squad members and academy players.
Calum Scanlon was among the beneficiaries as he featured in all three matches Stateside, playing just under 90 minutes in total and giving a good account of himself in those games against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds.
Scanlon close to rejoining Cardiff on loan from Liverpool
The Liverpool youngster is unlikely to remain with the club for this season, though, with Simon Jones reporting for the Daily Mail that the 21-year-old is ‘closing in on’ a loan move to Cardiff City.
The left-back had a loan spell at the Bluebirds for the second half of last term as well, playing eight times as he helped them to earn promotion back to the Championship.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s side have been ‘working hard’ to bring the defender back to the Welsh capital, and the youngster had attracted numerous enquiries, including a ‘concerted effort’ from Sheffield Wednesday.
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It’d be a sensible loan move for Scanlon and Liverpool
Scanlon would likely have found opportunities at Liverpool hard to come by this season, with Milos Kerkez and Kostas Tsimikas ahead of him in the left-back pecking order, so a loan return to Cardiff would appear to make plenty of sense.
He’d be going back to familiar surroundings and a club looking upwards after promotion, and his prospects of regular game-time should be decent under Barry-Murphy if fortune is kind to him and he maximises the factors within his control.
The 21-year-old hasn’t played competitively for the Reds’ first team since a couple of Europa League outings in the latter months of 2023, with horrendous injury problems curtailing his development over the past couple of years.
However, it’s a sign of how high a ceiling he could have that Jurgen Klopp – who afforded him him those aforementioned European appearances – previously described him as ‘fun to watch’.
If Scanlon gets his loan move to Cardiff, enjoys regular game-time and has some overdue better luck on the injury front, this season could be one of immensely satisfying and wholly deserved redemption for him.