Liverpool must sell 21-year-old defender this summer to comply with Premier League rules – report | OneFootball

Liverpool are expected to part ways with 21-year-old right-back Calvin Ramsay this summer as Premier League registration rules create an unavoidable squad dilemma.

The Scottish defender, who has made just two senior appearances since arriving from Aberdeen in 2022, now looks likely to be sacrificed due to one key issue — he is not classed as homegrown.

As explained by onefootball.com, “Had he finished the season with former loan club Wigan Athletic instead [of Kilmarnock], he would have accumulated the required three seasons registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales before his 21st birthday to qualify as homegrown.”

Instead, his decision to join Kilmarnock on loan has cost him that eligibility, despite enduring another injury-hit campaign.

Ramsay has now missed 46 matches through injury across the last three seasons — a brutal run for a player with genuine promise.

Premier League squad rules leave Liverpool with little choice

(Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

The Reds submitted a reduced 21-man squad in the second half of last season, with only six homegrown players included.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold now at Real Madrid, that number drops to five — putting pressure on Arne Slot and the recruitment team to offload non-homegrown players and promote carefully.

The report highlights the scale of the issue, noting that “several Under-21 players will no longer qualify for youth exemption next season, including Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Calvin Ramsay, and others.”

That creates a bottleneck in the squad list, with Ramsay’s lack of availability and non-homegrown status making him an obvious candidate to be moved on.

Even as a backup to new signing Jeremie Frimpong and No.84 Conor Bradley, the 21-year-old can’t justify a squad place.

Liverpool have already signed Florian Wirtz this summer, adding another non-homegrown player to the squad.

If further arrivals like Alexander Isak follow, space must be made — and unfortunately for Ramsay, the numbers no longer add up in his favour.

A potential exit would open the door to more flexibility in the market and allow Liverpool to continue rebuilding under our Premier League winning head coach.

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