Richard Hughes U-turn: Handbrake pulled on homegrown midfielder exit

Liverpool are planning changes to their midfield.

Curtis Jones - wanted by Inter Milan - could finally join the Italian champions for £30m soon. And there may also be outbound deals wrapped up for Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott.

Bajcetic, 21, is wanted back in Spain with only one year on his contract and could be sold in order for the club to avoid losing him on a free.

Elliott is in a similar situation although there doesn’t appear to be as much interest in the 23-year-old at this stage.

Trey Nyoni meanwhile could leave the club on loan in order to secure precious first-team minutes.

Liverpool a player short in midfield

There is no doubt that Jones’ departure would leave Andoni Iraola under pressure for midfield numbers.

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch will once again be the backbone of the middle third with Wataru Endo playing a backup role yet again.

And concerns over midfield numbers could now lead to James McConnell staying at the club instead of heading out on loan.

James McConnell now expected to stay

McConnell, 21, was handed a fresh five-year contract last year before joining John Heitinga at Ajax for a temporary spell.

But a lack of opportunities - and an injury - led to the former Sunderland academy prospect returning to the AXA Training Centre ahead of time.

McConnell has since recovered from injury - going on to feature under Iraola in midfield during preseason.

And those outings according to a report in Football Insider have convinced the Basque tactico to use the deep-lying schemer as a rotation option during his first season in charge.

“Liverpool youngster James McConnell will not be heading out on loan as Andoni Iraola wants to utilise him in the first-team this season,” the report reads.

“Iraola has taken a liking to McConnell and is planning to keep him around as a squad player for the upcoming campaign.”

McConnell was due to join PNE

McConnell appeared destined to join Championship side Preston North End on loan for the season - with a host of other second-tier clubs lining up to take him on board.

However it looks as though Richard Hughes and Iraola are ready to perform a U-turn in order to safeguard numbers in the midfield for the campaign ahead.

“Preston were the frontrunners for his signature ahead of Swansea City, and they have suffered a huge blow following the Reds' surprise U-turn,” the report continues.

“Iraola's desire to retain McConnell is believed to be fuelled by Liverpool's lack of midfield arrivals so far this summer.”

It’s unlikely that Liverpool will secure another midfielder this summer - with money required for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye.

That means an unexpected opportunity for the homegrown midfielder McConnell - who has already bagged a trophy for the Reds in the shape of the 2024 EFL Cup.