'Big success': Liverpool told they've got an 'outstanding' young midfielder who has been superb out on-loan

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Loan moves can always be a little bit of a gamble for players leaving Liverpool.

Given the size of the club, youngsters know that any move away will be a step down in terms of quality from the Liverpool first-team.

However, with spaces in the senior Liverpool squad really at a premium, it’s vital that they get out and show that they can cut it at a slightly lower level.

This has proven the right path for many players who have come through the Liverpool academy, and has also been useful in weeding out those who will never quite be good enough for the Reds.

This season, with a new batch of hopefuls heading out away from Liverpool, the standout loan player has inarguably been Ben Doak.

But according to Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin, Reds supporters should also be getting excited about midfielder Luca Stephenson.

Luca Stephenson smashing it out on-loan

Stephenson was a slightly surprise selection from Arne Slot to go on Liverpool’s tour of the USA over the summer.

But despite having not been around the first-team at all up until that point, Stephenson was excellent during pre-season.

The 21-year-old showed his versatility by featuring exclusively at right-back, but is really a midfielder by trade.

That is where he has been playing for Dundee United during his spell so far and speaking via The Courier on Thursday, Goodwin said that Stephenson has been ‘outstanding’.

READ MORE: Luca Stephenson says he loved pre-season with the Liverpool first-team and Arne Slot

“Jack, Manny, Sam Dalby and Luca Stephenson have all been outstanding,” raved the manager.

“A lot of that goes back to the recruitment process. We do our due diligence, identify good targets and, thankfully, when they've come in, they've been a big success.”

Jim Goodwin hoping for more Liverpool talent

The main remit for a player going out on-loan from Liverpool – or any club really – is that he plays football. And Stephenson has certainly been doing that.

The former Sunderland prospect has started 13 out of 15 games in the Scottish Premiership, helping his team to fourth place in the table.

And according to Goodwin, he’s hoping that Stephenson’s success can convince Liverpool to send more of their academy prospects up North to Scotland.

“You look at a club like Liverpool, in particular; they have a brilliant academy down there with a lot of really good players with high potential,” he says. “It can only be a good thing for Dundee United that we've given Luca a platform to be successful.

“With Luca's loan going well and how well Clarkson did at Aberdeen (under Goodwin), that hopefully makes my conversations with Liverpool very simple and straightforward. These deals should be something that benefits all parties, and long may that continue."