Per Lewis Steele’s regular Liverpool Confidential column for the Daily Mail, a proposed loan for Liverpool FC midfielder James McConnell to Preston North End has collapsed, after being told by Andoni Iraola he will be part of his plans for the first-team squad after a promising preseason.
Cue the “LIKE A NEW SIGNING” jokes. All tha aside, it’s a really nice story for one of Liverpool’s young midfielders who made his breakthrough to the senior team in Klopp’s final season, and had been highly spoken of under Arne Slot.
McConnell spent last season on loan at Ajax and was set to work under former Slot assistant John Heitinga. Unfortunately, that plan fell apart, and the player returned to Liverpool early in February. He was out of action after having minor surgery and was actually named in his first senior matchday squad for the club since April 2, 2025, when he was an unused substitute against Everton.
Many people will rightfully bemoan the lack of transfer activity and mock this news… but it’s also what the investment in the Academy is for. Not many Academy products break into the senior team setup and stay around, and it looks like Trey Nyonyi and McConnell will play the role of depth in a Liverpool midfield that’s looking slightly lacking at the moment after Curtis Jones’ impending departure. That’s something to celebrate, regardless of the situation.
