Liverpool defender Billy Koumetio 'set to join' Blackburn on loan | OneFootball

Highlights

Liverpool defender Billy Koumetio looks set to leave the club before the deadline and join Championship side Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of the season, reports have suggested.

Koumetio spent the first half of the campaign on loan with French side USL Dunkerque but was recalled earlier in the month. The young defender made nine appearances for the Ligue 2 outfit and has featured for the Reds' senior squad twice in his Liverpool career.

With Jarell Quansah bursting onto the scene this term and Liverpool having the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez to call upon, it's going to be difficult for Koumetio to break into the first-team for the remainder of the campaign.

Koumetio close to leaving Liverpool

According to Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo, centre-back Koumetio is set to join Blackburn for the remainder of the season on a loan deal. Jurgen Klopp has previously spoken highly of the youngster, labelling him a 'big talent' who he is sure will make the 'big steps' in his career.

After plying his trade in France for the first half of the season, Koumetio will now test himself in the second tier of English football. The 21-year-old became Liverpool's youngest-ever Champions League player back in 2020 when he made an appearance against FC Midtjylland, but he's struggled to make a major impact on the senior squad since then and will now continue his development away from Anfield.

A report from The Express claimed that Koumetio was facing a fight to convince Klopp and the Liverpool staff that he has a long-term future with the Merseyside outfit, but it appears that they've decided a departure on a temporary deal will help his development.

As per the MailOnline, Blackburn were also pushing to secure the signature of Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, before he eventually moved to Cardiff City on loan. Conversations clearly continued between the two clubs and it looks as though the Lancashire outfit have managed to lure a different centre-back from the Reds this month.

Virgil van Dijk future

With the recent announcement that Klopp would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, the supporters at Anfield will be worrying about what the future holds for the club. The German manager has brought plenty of success to Merseyside during his tenure, while he's also played a part in attracting some of the stars they have in their ranks.

Speaking on Klopp's departure, van Dijk has confessed that he doesn't know what the future holds for himself with a new era on the horizon. When asked if he sees himself as part of the post-Klopp era at Anfield, van Dijk said...

"That's a big question. I don't know."

The Dutch international then goes on to suggest that a lot will change with the upheaval behind the scenes...

"To replace not only the manager but the whole staff, there are so many things that will change. I'm very curious which direction that will go in but when that will be announced we will see our situation. I can't say much about it. It will be the end of Klopp's era and I am still part of it."