‎Liverpool Determined to End James McConnell's Ajax Loan as Championship Clubs Queue Up for January Move

‎Liverpool are preparing to bring an early end to James McConnell’s loan spell at Ajax as interest from Championship clubs grows ahead of the January transfer window. The young midfielder, a product of Liverpool’s academy, made his senior debut in 2024 before joining the Dutch giants on a season-long loan after signing a new five-year contract with his boyhood club during the summer.

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‎Liverpool are preparing to end James McConnell’s Ajax loan early amid limited minutes, with several Championship clubs ready to offer a January move.

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‎McConnell, who completed his progression through Liverpool’s youth ranks in 2023, embarked on his first loan move when he switched to Ajax earlier this season. The deal was seen as a key step in his development, especially after committing his long-term future to the Reds before leaving Anfield.

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‎At the time of his move, Ajax were managed by John Heitinga, a coach familiar with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot from previous work together. Liverpool believed that the presence of Heitinga would provide McConnell with regular opportunities and a suitable environment to continue his growth. That situation altered significantly following Heitinga’s departure from the role.

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‎Since the managerial change, McConnell’s involvement has reduced sharply. The 21-year-old has featured in only seven matches over the past six months and has recently been left out of the first-team picture altogether. This lack of consistent game time has stalled his progress, prompting concern from Liverpool over his development.

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‎Reports from VI suggest that Liverpool are dissatisfied with McConnell’s role at Ajax and are now considering terminating the loan in January to allow him to return to England. The club is keen to ensure the midfielder receives regular minutes during the second half of the season.

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‎Should McConnell head back to England next month, a swift move elsewhere could follow. The Daily Mail reports that four Championship sides — West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Oxford United and Swansea City — are monitoring his situation closely. Liverpool must now decide whether to sanction another temporary move or retain him as cover within the senior squad.

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‎Away from the McConnell situation, Liverpool have also been urged to strengthen defensively during the January window. Former Reds defender Stephen Warnock believes Arne Slot should look to add both a centre-back and a right-back after an underwhelming defensive showing during the 2025–26 campaign.

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‎Speaking to Aceodds, Warnock highlighted concerns over reliability in the right-back position, noting that options such as Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley have struggled with injuries and consistency. He argued that Liverpool perform better with a specialist right-back, which also allows Dominik Szoboszlai to operate more naturally in midfield.

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‎Warnock suggested that signing a right-back is just as crucial as recruiting a centre-back, while criticising the trend of deploying midfielders in defensive wide roles. In an ideal scenario, he named Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber as his preferred target, praising his quality in one-on-one situations and his strong return following an ACL injury, though he admitted such a move would be unlikely.

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‎Looking ahead, Liverpool ended the calendar year on a positive note by overtaking Chelsea and returning to the Premier League’s top four with a victory over Wolves. The defending champions will aim to build momentum in the New Year when they host Leeds United at Anfield on January 1, targeting another step up the league table.