Journalist James Pearce from The Athletic reports that 18-year-old Austrian centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwu could join Liverpool as early as January.
The young talent only needs to play one match in the league for Spanish side Levante to secure a work permit in the UK and the right to feature in competitive matches for the English club.
Ndukwu has impressed during pre-season, but at that time fell short on points required for a British work visa.
If the bureaucratic hurdles are cleared in time, manager Andoni Iraola will have added depth in the central defence for the second half of the season.
Liverpool's potential centre-backs for January
- Virgil van Dijk
- Jeremy Jacque (having made a strong start following his summer transfer)
- Ronald Araujo (on loan, already impressing the coaching staff)
- Giovanni Leoni (recovering from an ACL injury, expected back later in the year)
- Ifeanyi Ndukwu
- Joe Gomez (returning to fitness expected in September)
The depth in the squad looks solid, but the club must navigate through to the New Year without further injuries at this position.
Ndukwu caught the coaching staff's attention during pre-season, winning every aerial and ground duel in a 45-minute friendly against Monaco.
While no one expects the young defender to be thrown straight into the action after his January return, Giovanni Leoni's recovery from a serious injury remains uncertain.
A successful loan spell at Levante could serve as a great springboard for Ndukwu to gain experience in one of Europe's toughest leagues.
