Revealed: The five loanees Liverpool fans want back in 2017/18

Liverpool’s season has quickly descended to crisis point. The New Year’s Eve Premier League win over Manchester City seems an eternity ago for Reds fans, who have seen their side go from being Chelsea’s most likely title challengers to sitting outside of the all-important top-four, while being eliminated from both domestic cup competitions. To drop another load of brown stuff on Kopites, the aforementioned victory over Pep Guardiola’s Citizens was their last league win.

No matter what happens between now and the end of 2016/17, Liverpool are sure to be busy in the transfer market. The winter months have shown that there’s a lack of depth in key areas on the banks of the River Mersey, while it’s been proven that some players are either no longer up to the task (Lucas Leiva) or just not good enough (insert one of five or six names here).

But, before ‘Kloppo’ pulls on his waterproof lederhosen and goes wading into the murky waters of the transfer market, he may want to look at a few of the club’s loanees. Unlike Chelsea, the Reds don’t have a huge quantity of players away from the club, but there are certainly some interesting prospects among the bunch.

With that in mind, we asked Liverpool fans which Reds loanees they want back the most ahead of 2017/18, and here are the FIVE most popular names…

5) Ryan Kent

Recalled last January amid a spate of injuries and Jurgen Klopp’s desire to see all of the players he had at his disposal up close, Kent is now away from Merseyside with Barnsley. His stint back with his parent club in 2015/16 was not entirely successful – he made one appearance in the FA Cup draw at Exeter – but it seems Kopites think there is more to come from the 20-year-old.

And they may have a point, with the winger a quick, direct and technically adept footballer, although there are worries surrounding his stature and ability to cope with the physical nature of top-level football. This coming summer may reveal where his future ultimately will be, and if he can impress in pre-season, there’s a chance he could stay at Anfield.

4) Lazar Markovic

Markovic’s odds when it comes to remaining a Liverpool player long-term don’t look great. After a shocking first half of the season at Sporting CP in Portugal (stats below), the Serbian winger was sent back to Merseyside before being shipped off to Hull as part of Marco Silva’s Tigers revolution.

Signed for £20m back in the summer of 2014 after wowing with Partizan Belgrade and Benfica, there were high hopes for the now 22-year-old, but his only full season at the club thus far came as Brendan Rodgers searched desperately for a formation that worked and results to save his job in 2014/15. Markovic was shunted around, often playing as a wing-back, which didn’t help his cause.

Although, as we said, his chances don’t seem great – Klopp, even though he’s short of wingers, didn’t want him back last month – an impressive spell with Hull could prove that he has what it takes to shine in the Premier League, which may tempt the club to give him another go.

3) Jon Flanagan

A cult hero among Liverpool fans, the Merseyside-born defender was one of the stars of the show as they ran Manchester City so close in the battle for the title in 2013/14, but a nasty knee injury suffered on the final day of that campaign and some other fitness set-backs have derailed his career.

Flanagan was given opportunities by Klopp last season when he returned to fitness, but it was clear he needed more game time to fully recover, which prompted a loan switch to Burnley. His spell with the Clarets has not been a success, though, with just eight appearances under Sean Dyche to his name so far.

Alas, the 24-year-old has time on his side and could offer Klopp a decent back-up option next season as he is able to play in either full-back position. The only sticking point is his long-term fitness.

2) Danny Ward

With the goalkeeping situation continuing to rumble on, Ward could have an opportunity to impress once his loan stint at Huddersfield ends. The 23-year-old has, so far, made 28 Championship appearances for the promotion-chasing Yorkshire side, and such experience in the second tier could serve him well for a return to Liverpool to build on his two league showings last season after being recalled from Aberdeen.

Much depends on the overall goalkeeper landscape under Klopp next term, but a ruthless move such as axing both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius and signing a proven stopper with Ward as back-up could be an approach he uses.

1) Mamadou Sakho

And top of the bill is Sakho, a man Liverpool fans have already told us (below) deserves another go at Anfield. The French defender shone last term under Klopp, but a doping saga (for which he was cleared) saw him miss vital matches at the end of the campaign - including the Europa League Final – before some behavioural issues during the club’s pre-season tour in America saw him cast away into the reserves and forgotten about.

Crystal Palace came calling on the last day of the January transfer window and a loan move to London followed, which, if used properly, could see the France international win back Klopp's favour. Once deemed a marquee signing at Anfield, the 26-year-old clearly has plenty of ability and would be a better back-up option than Ragnar Klavan or Lucas Leiva.