Liverpool loanee admits he hopes to return to the club next summer
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCThe Reds have big pre-season plans, with a trip to the USA in the pipeline. Given the number of first-team stars that will likely be unavailable due to the expanded World Cup, Liverpool may need to rely on youth-team playersLuca Stephenson has admitted he would like to return to Liverpool this summer(Image: Getty Images)Liverpool youngster Luca Stephenson has discussed his future plans and believes he will return to Liverpool this summer.The midfielder is currently enjoying a second season on loan at Dundee United and recently captained the team against Motherwell.
Stephenson came back to Liverpool last summer following a year at Tannadice Park, and featured in several of the Reds’ pre-season games.It appears likely that will happen again this summer, with his loan move in Scotland set to expire and the tenacious 22-year-old expressing his desire to return to Liverpool. He is yet to play a senior game for the club but did sign a new contract with the club in 2025.READ MORE: Italy coach gives Federico Chiesa update as Liverpool problem clear — 'It's useless'READ MORE: Lens publishes forceful statement after PSG request ahead of Liverpool tieWhile it seems unlikely he will have a career in the Liverpool first team, Stephenson did not rule out sticking around next season when speaking to the club in a recent interview.“Obviously you can’t predict what’s around the corner, especially in football – it’s a weird sport at times,” he told the club’s website.“I’ve got seven games left here now.
Just keep on adding as many games that I can: goals, assists and hopefully wins for the team.Stephenson is currently on loan at Dundee(Image: 2025 Getty Images)“Take a nice little break in the summer and then try to come back and hit the ground running in pre-season and see where that takes me.“There’s going to be a big number of first-team lads that are going to be away at the World Cup.“The chances of going away to America [for pre-season] might increase and maybe the number of minutes might increase than what I might have had in the past couple of years while I’ve been away.“If I’m lucky enough to get that opportunity then absolutely brilliant, yeah, and I’ll have felt like I’ve earned this from my hard work again this season.”Stephenson was part of the Liverpool squad that travelled to Hong Kong last year(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)Stephenson joined the Reds at Under-15 level and expressed disappointment that he has been unable to hold down a first-team spot.“Obviously, the ideal plan is always to just get straight into Liverpool’s first team, isn’t it?” he said.“And go from the academy and straight into the first team and go and do what Curtis Jones has done and those types of people.READ MORE: Antonio Rudiger made feelings clear on Jurgen Klopp amid Liverpool transfer linksREAD MORE: Ex-Liverpool midfielder feels Arne Slot firing is 'inevitable' for one reason“But there’s also a route into the first team via going out on loan. As good as the academy is and the Under-21s is, you can’t replicate that in that set-up.“And to have the few years I have done of kind of the ups and downs and the learnings with it, has been unbelievable.”Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FC