Eighteen-year-old Austrian centre half Ifeanyi Ndukwe has been the surprise standout of pre-season for the Reds ahead of the 2026-27 season, but work permit issues mean he will not be able to play in England and will need a loan home that gets him first team minutes in a top league to earn one moving forward.
The question is where that loan will be, with plenty of chatter at the start of pre-season about a potential return to Austria Wien where he has spent the past decade, as even regular starting
minutes there would be sufficient. That likely won’t be where he ends up following this weekend’s final pre-season friendlies against Como.
The latest has Ndukwe wanting to test himself in a new league, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the defender won’t return to Austria. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s James Pearce says clubs in Portugal, Germany, and Denmark showing the most interest while there could also be options in Belgium, France, and Spain.
With Ndukwe already on the cusp of qualifying for a work permit, Liverpool and the player are free to select the loan home they believe offers the player a combination of the best chance at playing time, the best coaching, and the highest quality of opposition for the young defender over the next six to twelve months.
Without access to other information, interest from a top flight German club would seem most promising as it would allow Ndukwe to continue developing without having to learn a third language while offering a significant step up from the Austrian league—though that won’t matter without a clear path to playing time.
Regardless, by this time next week we should know where in Europe the pre-season standout will be playing, and impressing for new head coach Andoni Iraola as he has this summer bodes well for the youngster’s future in a year when he hopefully returns to the Reds with a little more experience under his belt.
