Liverpool youngster Tommy Pilling has revealed his intention to leave the club on loan after making one first-team appearance this season.
Pilling has emerged as one of the key players for new Liverpool U21 head coach Rob Page and as a reliable option in first-team training.
But after turning 20 in September, it should come as no surprise that the midfielder is considering his next steps.
“Hopefully [I can] being loaned out, getting as many opportunities as possible to train with the first team,” he told the club official website of its objectives.
“I would like to play men’s football. I’m not in a big hurry to do that, but the goal is to get there.”
A temporary deal is likely to be considered in January, with Liverpool only agreeing to six academy loans in the summer window, leaving a large squad for Page to work with.
Pilling runs the risk of ending up in academy limbo
But the focus will be on finding the right home for a player of Pilling’s quality and potential at a crucial stage of his development.
He is in a similar position to Luca Stephenson, Dominic Corness, Jake Cain and Leighton Clarkson in recent years; outgrew the academy structure, but only on the fringes of the first team.
Wherever his next step takes him, he will benefit not only from the time he spends training with Arne Slot’s squad, but also from his matchday experience.
After coming off the bench in the friendly against Athletic Club in August, Pilling traveled with the seniors to the Carabao Cup victory over Southampton last month.
“Even though it wasn’t a competitive match, just the feeling of being at Anfield, being among the fans, warming up, sitting on the bench behind the coaches. [was special],” he reflected on that pre-season outing.
“[I was just] listening, understanding what the first team players listen to before the game, how people move before the game, what they do.
“To be honest, I had a good 25 minutes too, it was just a moment to express myself, to show what I can do.
“I was nervous before the game, but in the warm-up and stuff it just felt natural. When the gaffer said, ‘You’re coming,’ I was just focused and happy.”
Pilling looks set for a move to a Football League club, and Page’s connections could be useful in that regard; the U21 head coach previously managed Port Vale and Northampton, while finishing his playing career at Chesterfield.
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