LFC : Loan Watch 2013/2014

A loan spell can bring the best out of any player, and with the Premier League starting as promising as it did for Brendan's men in August, the boss had a lot to ponder about regarding possible loan deals happening within the club. With an academy as promising as Liverpool's at the moment, many of the youth players are excited about the prospect of a loan deal away from the club, even if it means playing for a lower league team. Something key a youth player needs at their age is game time, and Rodgers has given that to a couple of youngsters this season. In this blog I will be listing a few of them, including how they are getting on at their respective clubs.

Fabio Borini - Sunderland

The young Italian forward arrived at the club with no massive expectancy. The 12 million figure paid for him was quite high for a man who was yet to show his worth in the Premier League. Borini found it very difficult in his first few months at the club, with one or two injuries to add to the somewhat average performances a long the way. This got many fans calling for the forward to be sold in the summer, even after just one season at Anfield. Rodgers opted for a loan deal to struggling Sunderland, and Borini has done fairly well as of yet at Tyneside. New Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has given the young Italian a go in his starting line up, and Borini has rewarded him with a couple of important goals, most notably against Manchester United in the Capital One Cup Semi-Final, and also the opening goal in a 3-0 win in the Tyneside derby. I still think Borini does not have what it takes to make it in the red of Liverpool, but if he returns next summer with a spring to his step, Rodgers might give him another go.

 

Oussama Assaidi - Stoke

I am quite sure I am not the only Liverpool fan who was left scratching their head as to why Assaidi was not given more game time last season. The Moroccan was slowly showing us that he had a neat and silky touch to him when he was given the chance, which was few and far between. What was lacking in the winger's game was his end product, a long with his defensive capability, which showed us the reason Rodgers loaned the man out of the club. Loaned out to Stoke City, the perfect destination, in my opinion. The winger needed to toughen up and get stuck in more often, and what better club to do that than Stoke. Assaidi has done a good job as the season has gone by, scoring a 90th minute wonder goal against Chelsea, and also netting against Merseyside rivals Everton. We all know the Moroccan has got the skill and trickery to be a top player. Just a few tweaks and improvements needed in his overall game, and Rodgers will get a good option in Assaidi come the summer.

Suso - Almeria

The Spanish play maker, alongside Sterling, were probably two of the most heavily tipped emerging talents coming out of Melwood in the last couple of years. Sterling has broken into the first team set up this season, and has done exceptionally well so far, leaving Suso with little game time to show for. The 20 year old was sent on loan to his native country, and has shown us all exactly what a huge talent the young Spaniard is. Since his move to Almeria, Suso has taken La Liga by the horns with his pace and trickery. His assist tally is amongst the best in Spain this season, topping the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Suso has relished in his loan spell, and with the season drawing even closer to the finale, Rodgers has a lot of thinking to do in the summer, especially with the current competition for places in that attacking midfielder role. With the recent emergence of Joao Teixeira in and around the first team, we can both say the two are pretty similar in how they play, both being brandished as a 'Play maker'. Come the end of the season, Rodgers might have a decision to make on who to take a gamble on, and when he does, the one left out could find it hard to fight back for a place in the side.

Current Squad players who could be loaned out this Summer

Jon Flanagan

There is no doubt the young full back has perished with his chance given to him by Rodgers. Many doubts were cast over Flanno's future last summer, but he has responded to each and every critic. With Glen Johnson returning from injury, and Jose Enrique not too far away either, young Flanagan will have a tough time trying to maintain his place, which could end up seeing him being loaned out come summer time. I think this would be what is best for Liverpool, and mainly, for the player. Giving Flanagan a definite run of games at a lower league team will see the full back mature and become an even better player. There is no doubt the attitude and determination shown by Flanagan has shown us he is ready to be a top level player. Topped by a little more experience, we might see the youngster return a real talent, and a definite starter.

Luis Alberto

Luis Alberto's time at Barcelona was enough to convince us that the midfielder could be a massive talent, if trained well. Bought for 6 million in the summer, the Spaniard has found it difficult to break into the starting line up, with the current side firing on all cylinders at the moment. There is no doubt that many a Liverpool fan wants to see the silky play maker show us his worth, but with only 11 Premier League games left, and all being cup finals within themselves, the youngster might find it hard to get game time this season, which may lead to a loan deal in the summer. Spain would be the most probable destination. Starting with his hat trick for the under 21's earlier on in the season, followed by some very promising performances coming off the bench in the Premier League, this is definitely not the last we have seen of Luis Alberto.

Iago Aspas

Many Liverpool fans were eagerly anticipating the arrival of Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo in the summer. Being likened to Luis Suarez with his style of play, and then given the famous number 9 by the club, Aspas started off on fire for Liverpool, scoring in many of the reds per-season fixtures, and exciting us reds fans even more as the Premier League season neared kick off. Since then, the Spaniard has been a massive disappointment, with Liverpool fans already calling for the forward to be sold in the summer. With not a single goal in the Premier League to show for, and just one goal in the FA Cup, coming against Oldham, Aspas has been a kop flop so far, and Liverpool might see the need to loan him out. In my opinion, if Liverpool get Champions League, Rodgers might see the need to sell the Spaniard, to weigh up a move or two for some bigger prospects. I think that would be best, as Iago Aspas has yet to show any kind of promise or prospect.

Many Liverpool fans would have bitten your hand off to be in the place we are at the moment. Neither one of us, not even Rodgers, saw a title race coming. Some were hoping for a Champions League place after all these years away, but a title race is exactly what we have been given this season, and Liverpool could not have a better chance at it, with 11 matches to go. With the next three games all coming away from home, somewhere Liverpool need much improving, the next 11 matches are all cup finals for Rodgers' men. One thing is definite, we all owe huge gratitude to what Rodgers has brought to the club since his arrival. He has brought the best out of many of his squad, most notably the likes of Henderson, Sterling and Flanagan. A return to the Champions League is getting even more closer, and with an attempt at the title too, Liverpool fans are looking ahead to the season finale with anticipation and a smile on their faces.


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