Arne Slot has granted a Liverpool prospect with a "fabulous pedigree" a transfer exit this summer as he continues to thin out his first-team squad.
The Reds already waved goodbye to Billy Koumetio and Fabio Carvalho this month, while young midfielder Bobby Clark is seemingly on his way to RB Salzburg as part of a $12.9million (£10m/€11.7m) deal to rejoin former assistant manager Pep Lijnders .
Now, Liverpool midfielder Luca Stephenson has completed a season-long loan switch to Scottish Premiership side Dundee United, where he will hope to gain valuable first-team minutes and further develop his career under the tutelage of Tangerines boss Jim Goodwin.
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The 42-year-old lauded Stephenson's "fabulous pedigree" following his arrival at Tannadice, describing him as an "exciting prospect" who can be used in a number of positions ahead of an unrelenting season.
“Luca is an exciting prospect who arrives at Tannadice with a fabulous pedigree, having spent the entirety of his youth career within an elite-level environment," Goodwin told official club media . "“His loan spell with Barrow last season was a burgeoning success.
"He played over 30 times across all competitions, proving his reliability and consistency within the senior game at such a young age. As a player, his enthusiasm for his defensive duties are infectious, carrying them out with controlled aggression and intelligence.
"He compliments this with an outstanding level of technical ability, given the footballing education he has enjoyed with Liverpool. Luca can also play in a variety of different positions - a quality which will be vital during an unrelenting league season which will no doubt bring various niggles and knocks to the squad.”
Last season's switch to League Two outfit Barrow was a major point in the 20-year-old's young career, gaining valuable experience in the men's game with 34 appearances in all competitions for the Cumbria outfit and playing almost 2,000 minutes of football.
On his return to Merseyside this summer, Stephenson was included in Slot's 28-man squad to travel Stateside for the pre-season friendlies against Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United - featuring in all three games. He then appeared for the Reds against Sevilla at Anfield on Sunday.
A versatile player who can operate at both full-back and in midfield, Stephenson will be looking to impress during his time in Scotland and stamp his authority on the starting lineup in the same way he did at Barrow last year.
He becomes the latest Reds youngster to head out on loan this summer, following teammates Calvin Ramsay , Luke Chambers and Lewis Koumas out the door. Ramsay and Chambers have both linked up with League One outfit Wigan Athletic, while Koumas has joined Championship side Stoke City .
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