Liverpool may look to recall its defender wonderkid Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is currently on loan at Levante..

Sky Sports Austria reported exclusively on Saturday that Liverpool may look to recall its Austria U19s international defender wonderkid Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is currently on loan at Levante, within the coming weeks.

According to the report, Liverpool intends to meet with Ndukwe’s representatives soon to discuss the possibility of an early return.

While the Reds had originally planned for Ndukwe to spend the entire season on loan at Levante, a mounting injury crisis within the squad may force Liverpool to bring him back ahead of schedule.

It is worth mentioning that although Ndukwe joined Liverpool this past summer, he did not initially meet the criteria for a UK work permit. Consequently, both the club and the player agreed that he would go out on loan to gain competitive experience.

Having made his debut in mid-September and subsequently secured regular playing time, Ndukwe now meets the requirements for a UK work permit, prompting Liverpool to initiate plans for his recall.

Should his return be confirmed, Ndukwe could help alleviate some of the defensive injury concerns currently plaguing Liverpool’s first team.

The squad is facing a shortage of defensive options: right-wing-back Jeremie Frimpong has been hampered by recurring muscle issues; Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo have remained sidelined since sustaining serious injuries last season; and Joe Gomez, who has struggled with recurring fitness problems since an injury sustained while playing for the England national team years ago, has further limited the defensive personnel available to the club. 

About Ifeanyi Ndukwe

Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is only still 18 years-old, was born on March 3, 2008, in Vienna, Austria. He is 1.98 meters tall and plays as a center-back. He holds dual citizenship with Austria and Nigeria.

Ndukwe joined the youth academy of Austria Wien at a young age and, by the summer of 2022, was already playing for the club’s U18s side, a level above his age group.

During his time with the U18s squad, he helped the team win the Austrian Bundesliga U18s title twice.

After being promoted to the first-team last summer, Ndukwe made his senior debut by coming on as a substitute during the final match of the 2025/26 season.

In July 2026, Ndukwe joined Liverpool, with the deal involving a youth development compensation fee that could reach a total of £3.6 million.

During which, he featured in several of the Premier League giants' pre-season friendly matches, delivering impressive performances.

In August of the same year, Ndukwe was sent out on loan to Levante.

Since joining the La Liga club, he has so far made five appearances across all competitions. Notably, he scored an equalizer in stoppage time during a recent match against Sevilla, securing late a draw for his side.

On the international stage, Ndukwe traveled to Doha, Qatar, with the Austria U17s national team last November for the U17s FIFA World Cup, where they finished as runners-up after a defeat to Portugal in the final.

Image source: Internet / Sky Sports Austria