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Three Liverpool youngsters who could benefit from working under Mark Warburton

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QPR may have failed to trouble the top six this season, however, the majority of their fans enjoyed watching Mark Warburton’s young squad play an exciting brand of attacking football on a semi-regular basis. The former Brentford boss has put together a side who may be a little naive at times, however, they are a joy to watch going forward.
With the R’s likely to lose some of their star assets this summer, Warburton and his coaching staff may already be eyeing up potential replacements. Like many other Championship outfits, they will be working within a strict budget, and will be looking to use the loan market effectively. Liverpool are just one of many Premier League sides who have an extremely bloated squad, and the Reds will also be keen for some of their younger players to get some much-needed first-team experience. We take a look at three potential loanees who could benefit from a spell in West London.

Nathaniel Phillips


The 23-year old is currently on loan at Stuttgart, featuring 15 times across two spells in Baden-Wurttemberg. Having been awarded the captains armband at U23 level, Phillips is held in high esteem by the Liverpool hierarchy, although with Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez unlikely to be displaced anytime soon, the central defender may be forced to spend next season elsewhere.
His assured performances have caught the eye in the 2.Bundesliga this season and have helped Die Roten maintain their promotion push. Stuttgart have the third-best defence in the second tier, and Pellegrino Matarazzo will be hoping that his side can finish in the top two in order to avoid the prospect of having to face top-flight opposition in the relegation play-off.

Despite this, Phillips’ current employers would still fancy their chances against either Fortuna Dusseldorf or out-of-form Werder Bremen. The latter’s goal-scoring issues were highlighted in the latest betting tips on the Bundesliga from Paddy Power News, and their lack of potency could potentially put an end to their 39-year spell in the top flight. 

QPR’s defensive problems have been well-documented this season and, despite the emergence of Dominic Ball, Rangers still possess the fourth-worst defence in the division with 62 goals conceded in 37 matches. Phillips’ calm head and ability to spot danger could certainly help Warburton’s men tighten up at the back next year. 

Taiwo Awoniyi 

Although the R’s have had few problems finding the back of the net this season, Warburton is still likely to be eyeing up reinforcements in this area over the coming months.

Taiwo Awoniyi is already on his fourth loan spell despite only arriving at Melwood in 2015. The Nigerian striker has spent time in Belgium, the Netherlands, and, most recently, Germany. He has a superb attitude and isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig in. He’s been pitched straight into a Bundesliga relegation battle, and his recent performances have helped Mainz put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three.

The Rhineland-Palatinate side have drifted to 9/1 for relegation in the latest Bundesliga betting odds from Paddy Power, and the young forward has played a key role in helping them keep their heads above water so far. He is extremely well-grounded and appears to be exactly the kind of character who could flourish in West London. 

Caoimhin Kelleher 

Although Liam Kelly has added some much-needed stability between the sticks during the latter half of the campaign, quality goalkeepers have been few and far between at Loftus Road in recent seasons. 

Caoimhin Kelleher could be the man to add some much-needed competition in this area and, with the young Irishman having impressed during his fleeting cup appearances, he would surely be a savvy addition this summer. The 21-year old has clearly done enough to impress the Liverpool coaching staff, however, with Alisson Becker, Adrian and Andy Lonergan all ahead of him in the pecking order, he’s unlikely to break into the first team squad anytime soon.

QPR will certainly be looking to utilise the loan market over the coming months, and borrowing one or two youngsters from Anfield may be a sensible approach this summer. With Liverpool likely to strengthen their first-team squad once again, the majority of academy players may find their pathway to the first team blocked, and getting some much-needed first-team experience is likely to be mutually beneficial for both parties. 

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