One of the standout players for Liverpool this preseason has been 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe.
The young defender brings hope to a defensive depth issue that the Liverpool squad in developing.
What made Ndukwe impress against Wrexham?
Ndukwe was the only Liverpool player who played the full 90 minutes against Wrexham.
The defender looked incredibly measured on the ball completing 81 out his 90 attempted passes, with all of his missed passes being progressive in nature.
The Austrian also made four clearances, blocked two shots and made three recoveries. He did win one of his two aerial duels and this is potentially an area of his game that may need more exposure to as a professional to make it at the top level in England.
At 6 foot 6 inches tall he stands out for his age physical presence and ability.
Why will Liverpool fans not see him this summer?
The Austrian defender is ineligible to feature for Liverpool in the Premier League this season due to UK Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) work permit restrictions.
Under post-Brexit transfer rules established by the FA, non-UK players must earn a specific number of GBE points based on senior international appearances, domestic league minutes, and competition quality. Because the 18-year-old centre-back played primarily in the Austrian second tier with Austria Wien II and has not yet made a senior appearance for Austria, he falls short of the required point threshold.
While English clubs can register a small number of foreign players who miss the GBE threshold using Elite Player (ESC) slots, Liverpool do not have an available ESC slot for Ndukwe this season. As a result, he cannot obtain a UK work visa and will need a loan move abroad.
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