Days after breaking a record for Liverpool in the Champions League, Jayden Danns has left the club to spend the rest of the season in the Championship.
Danns became the youngest player to make his first start for Liverpool in European competition when he was named in the lineup against PSV Eindhoven.
It came in the young striker’s ninth appearance for the first team, but also came on a night where Federico Chiesa showcased the depth of Arne Slot‘s attacking ranks.
With six senior forwards fit, the decision was swiftly made to allow Danns to head out on loan for the rest of the season.
That comes with Sunderland in the Championship, with the Black Cats beating the likes of Blackburn, Stoke and Preston to sign a player who only turned 19 last month.
Before doing so, Danns put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at Liverpool – with his switch temporarily delayed as he recovers from an injury.
Danns will bolster Regis Le Bris’ options up front, joining Wilson Isidor and fellow teenagers Eliezer Mayenda and Trey Ogunsuyi in vying for a place in the side.
Though a starting role up front is not guaranteed, with Isidor current first choice, Danns’ versatility should aid his cause as he could feasibly play on either flank or, based on his showing against PSV, even as a No. 10.
It has been a rapid rise for Danns, who started last season with Liverpool U18s before proving himself worthy of a first-team chance under Jurgen Klopp.
He has been able to translate that to more opportunities under Slot, but now the hope will be that half a season in the Championship can help steel him for a more convincing challenge at Anfield next season.
Speaking on Danns’ potential last month, Slot said: “He will always, like the other academy players, give all he has. James McConnell is also a perfect example of that.
“If that is your mentality, you can definitely get the most of your potential. That is what’s going to happen with him.
“What that potential is, that probably needs some time to find out if he in the end will be a starter for us. But that he will have a very good career because of his mentality, I’m very sure of.”
In nine games for Liverpool so far Danns has scored three goals, averaging one every 64.3 minutes.
Good luck, Jayden!
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