Liverpool's mid-season loan report as 'fantastic' youngster catches fire in Scotland - opinion

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Liverpool have not had the best start to the new campaign, but have their loan stars fared any better?The Reds had a big summer overhaul that saw plenty of stars come and go, with many younger ones going out on loan.They have now had almost half a season to show what they are about, with some getting on better than others and really impressing while away.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. So, as the new year approaches, here is how Liverpool’s loanees have got on during the first half of the 2025/26 season.Vitezslav JarosPhoto by ANP via Getty ImagesStarting off with one of two Liverpool goalkeepers who have gone on loan, Vitezslav Jaros joined Ajax when John Heitinga was in charge, although he has since been sacked.

However, he has still done fairly well for himself during the first part of the season, keeping four clean sheets while holding down the number one position.Jaros has already said he is ready to challenge Alisson as Liverpool’s first-choice, and with the Brazilian potentially moving on in the summer, he is almost nailed on to be the backup.Harvey DaviesHarvey Davies is slightly younger than Jaros at 22 and has had a bit of an up-and-down time while at Crawley so far this season.He has kept just two clean sheets so far, with the Englishman also being left on the bench on a few occasions already.Davies has since been reinstalled to the starting XI, but he still has a long way to go if he is to challenge Jaros for the number two spot in the future.Kostas TsimikasPhoto by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe only youngster not on this list, Kostas Tsimikas joined Roma following the arrival of Milos Kerkez after being pushed down to third-choice in the pecking order.However, despite being a decent player on his day, he has failed to impress his coach in Italy, with it very likely that he will return to Liverpool in the future.He regularly starts on the bench, which is one of the reasons he left the Reds in the summer, and barely gets any minutes to prove himself, suggesting that recalling him might even be a smart move if possible.Owen BeckOwen Beck was another option Liverpool could have had at left-back, but sending him to Derby felt like the best option at the time.However, his loan spell was a nightmare as he picked up an injury and returned to the Reds in November without playing a game for the first-team.He is expected to be out for another three months or so, with the remainder of his season now focused on recovery and fitness.Isaac MabayaIsaac Mabaya has also had the worst possible loan spell as after featuring in the first two games of the season at right-back, he was taken off on a stretcher and has not played since.He also returned to Liverpool and had an operation on his achilles in August, with the timescale for his return still unknown. A gutting season for the 21-year-old.Luca StephensonPhoto by Etsuo Hara/Getty ImagesLuca Stephenson is, arguably, having the best time of all Liverpool loanees, with the 22-year-old tearing it up in Scotland for Dundee United.He has featured in every game for them this season and almost always plays 90 minutes, with the Englishman playing as a right-midfielder, right-back and holding midfielder so far.

He has scored three and assisted as many during the first half of his ‘fantastic’ season, so it would be no surprise to see him linked with a move away in the summer, if Liverpool do not want to keep hold of him that is.James McConnellJames McConnell is another player who joined Ajax while Heitinga was in charge, but he has struggled for game time in the Netherlands.He has started just once, with the 21-year-old reduced to small cameos off the bench before picking up an injury that has left him out for the last three games.There is a good chance he could return to Anfield before the end of the season, but either way, he will not join them permanently. Lewis KoumasPhoto by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe final loan player to be included on this list is one of the most exciting talents, with Lewis Koumas joining Birmingham City.Despite his talent and getting a good amount of minutes at the start of the season, he has not started a match since 21st October.Since then, he has regularly got less than 10 minutes to try and make an impact, something that is not going to help his development one bit.* List excluding Harvey Elliott and James Balagizi Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox