The Athletic: Liverpool duo who are ‘expected to leave’ now attracting ‘growing interest’ | OneFootball

Two Liverpool players who are ‘expected’ to leave Anfield this month are now attracting ‘growing interest’ from prospective suitors.

With the Reds having now played all of their pre-season fixtures before their first competitive game of 2025/26 on Sunday (the Community Shield against Crystal Palace), Arne Slot has had a good look at many of the players who are hoping to carve out a place in his thinking for the upcoming campaign.

Rio Ngumoha in particular may now have played his way into genuine first-team contention, although other youngsters seem likely to depart before the transfer deadline on 1 September, either on loan or permanently.

Liverpool duo attracting ‘growing interest’

In the latest Transfer DealSheet for The Athletic, Gregg Evans highlighted two Liverpool players who fall into the category of probable exits before the end of the summer.

He wrote that James McConnell and Luca Stephenson are ‘expected to go out on loan’ for 2025/26, although the duo are attracting ‘growing interest’ from clubs who are now ‘considering a permanent move’.

(Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Will McConnell and Stephenson leave Liverpool in August?

Stephenson tasted regular football on loan at Barrow and Dundee United over the past couple of years, and he featured in three of Liverpool’s pre-season games over the summer, which’ll no doubt have helped him to put him in the shop window for prospective suitors.

Despite one unfortunate header which inadvertently teed up Gorka Guruzeta to score in Athletic Bilbao’s 4-1 defeat at Anfield on Monday, the 21-year-old has given a positive account of himself over the past month, and his ability to provide defensive cover might yet see Arne Slot retain him for the upcoming campaign.

By contrast, McConnell missed the opportunity to stake a claim for first-team minutes in pre-season due to a minor injury which saw him omitted from the tour to Asia as a medical precaution, which would’ve been hugely frustrating for the midfielder.

He’ll be 21 in September and, given the intense competition for midfield berths in the Liverpool line-up, would realistically need to either go out on loan or leave permanently if he’s to play much in the 2025/26 campaign.

Tyler Morton is set to depart on a £15m transfer for Lyon, and others are likely to follow him out the door at Anfield during August. It’s quite plausible that Stephenson and McConnell could be among those, with the LFC hierarchy having some crucial decisions to make in the next four weeks.