Liverpool Secures Ifeanyi Ndukwe's Loan Move to Levante

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have finally tied up one of the most important loose ends of their summer – the future of Ifeanyi Ndukwe.

Time is draining away in this transfer window, and with it Richard Hughes’ spell at Anfield. The sporting director is expected to depart for Al Hilal once Liverpool’s summer business is wrapped up, so every decision in these final days carries extra weight. This window will be his legacy.

Liverpool are in the middle of a reset. Andoni Iraola has replaced Arne Slot, fresh faces have come through the door and new minority shareholders are reshaping the club off the pitch. The direction of travel is obvious.

The squad, though, hasn’t quite kept pace with that shift. Depth issues remain, especially in attack, and several players are still stuck in limbo over their futures. Iraola, preparing for his first season at Anfield, needs a group that can absorb the physical and tactical demands of his football. Right now, that still feels like a live question.

That’s why these last few days of the window matter so much. Hughes isn’t just chasing one or two shiny additions; he’s trying to fix structural weaknesses and avoid a repeat of last summer’s missteps. The margin for error is tiny.

Uncertainty hangs over Cody Gakpo. Curtis Jones looks destined for Inter Milan. Others appear to be edging towards the exit, players who no longer seem part of Liverpool’s long-term picture – names like Federico Chiesa, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott are all being talked about in that bracket. Alongside that, Hughes has contract business to nail down, including a key extension linked to Rio Ngumoha as he approaches his birthday next month.

Amid all of that noise, one of the biggest headaches was Ndukwe.

The Austrian centre-back lit up pre-season, impressing with his performances and raising hopes that he could play a role this year. Then came the brick wall: no work permit. Suddenly, instead of being a surprise option for Iraola, he became a logistical problem to solve.

Liverpool needed more than just any loan. They had to find a club that would give Ndukwe real minutes, help his development and crucially put him on the path to securing the work permit he needs to play for the Reds in future.

Now, according to Romano, they’ve found it. An agreement is in place for Ndukwe to join Levante on loan.

It’s a smart move. Levante compete in La Liga, and regular game time there – even over six months – should be enough to tick the work-permit boxes. The opportunity is there for him to play as well: Levante currently have only three senior centre-backs, so Ndukwe walks into a situation where minutes are available, not promised away.

For Liverpool, it’s a clean solution to a complicated problem. A promising defender gets a proper stage, the club move closer to unlocking his eligibility for English football, and a key piece of Hughes’ to-do list is finally crossed off.

With the clock still ticking on the rest of the window, this is one deal he can genuinely point to and say: that one, we got right.