Liverpool recall 5th player from loan; 'possibility' of 6th hinted

Liverpool have recalled a fifth player from their loan spell this month - and a sixth could follow. The Reds want to do things differently.

Liverpool announced on Thursday that James Balagizi has been recalled from his loan at Wigan Athletic. Balagizi, who signed a new contract with the Reds before heading there, only played seven times for the Latics.

The youngster could well head out somewhere else, while remaining with the Under 21s is also an option. Regardless of where he goes from here, Liverpool plainly weren't happy with how things were going.

And Balagizi could be followed by Calvin Ramsay. Ramsay has been at Preston North End this season but an early injury, followed by Covid, has him barely playing. In fact, the Scot has only featured twice.

Preston boss, Ryan Lowe was asked this week whether Ramsay could follow the rest of Liverpool's loanees back to Anfield. He certainly didn't rule it out.

"Well, there is a possibility with everything," said Lowe, per the Liverpool Echo. "You look at him not playing enough games; he wanted to come here and play and force his way in - which is why we signed him.

"The injury set him back, then he played and then Covid set him back. He's now finding himself out of the squad, but there is a possibility with everything. We will do what is best for us and the player as well."

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Balagizi is now the fifth Liverpool player to return from a loan spell this month. Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams and Fabio Carvalho all played remarkably limited minutes at Celtic, Aberdeen and RB Leipzig respectively, prompting the Reds to recall them.

All three are now expected to head out elsewhere - hopefully to teams who can play them. But there is one player who bucked the trend.

Owen Beck was also recalled this month after thriving with Dundee. Liverpool's injury crisis at left-back prompted the recall there but Beck will be a part of the first-team squad, at least for the rest of this month.