Liverpool youngster Jayden Danns looked all set for a loan move to the Championship last week.
Fast forward a few days and Arne Slot's decision to bring him off the bench during the Reds' 4-1 win over Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday has completely changed the picture. The 19-year-old was brought on to replace Alexis Mac Allister with ten minutes left on the clock at Anfield.
Although it was a rare first team for the emerging forward, alongside fellow sub Federico Chiesa, Danns achieved something no one else has managed in 119 years for Liverpool. The pair are only the second and third players to ever win their first eight games for the Reds in all competitions, with George Latham previously the only one to have done so between 1905 and 1906.
Danns' involvement at the weekend marked a stark contrast to last week, when Slot was reported to consider leaving on loan in January to further his development. Championship sides Stoke City, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End are all keen to acquire his services, according to the Athletic, while Hollywood's Wrexham are also linked in League One.
There has now been speculation that Danns is one of the candidates to feature in the Champions League in midweek as Slot can afford to make his starting XI. If such an appearance were to transpire, it would heavily dampen suggestions of a loan exit being sanctioned by the Liverpool manager.
Discussing the player's situation, Slot said he would consider several factors before deciding whether to let him leave, including a recent injury to Diogo Jota. He said: “You take a lot of things into account when you want to loan a player out and this may be one of them, but there are other factors you take into account as well. Is it good for a player to get some game time, yes or no ? Do we think we still need him?
Danns missed most of the first half of this season through injury but came off the bench to score in Liverpool's 4-0 FA Cup third-round win over Accrington Stanley earlier this month. He also previously earned great compliments from Slot's predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.
Danns made his senior breakthrough under the German side last term, playing in the League Cup final win over Chelsea. Klopp has praised the youngster after his impressive performance, describing him as “really special” and “absolutely insane”.
In his post-match press conference he said: “Jayden Danns has only recently joined us in the first team training. I loved him from the first second; really special. And he comes today, ok he played in the last game, But he can score two goals in a Carabao Cup final.
Klopp even compared Danns to darts sensation Luke Littler after scoring two goals off the bench in a win over Southampton last February. He said: “It's a bit like the new Darts sensation, it's fine for tonight. Leave the boys in the corner tomorrow.
“Everyone who is with us, we should have our moments, they will have more moments than we expect. Exceptional talents, of course it is not natural for a boy of 18 years to be as calm as you want.”
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