Liverpool defender’s future uncertain after eligibility setback | OneFootball

Ramsay’s Liverpool Future in Doubt as Premier League Rules Complicate Options

Contractual Realities Collide with Career Stagnation

Calvin Ramsay’s time at Liverpool appears to be drawing to a close, not with fanfare but with a regulatory nudge and the unrelenting churn of a squad recalibration. Signed from Aberdeen in 2022 with promise and pedigree, the Scottish full-back finds himself on the periphery, not through a lack of talent but largely through misfortune and timing.

Photo by IMAGO

Injuries have disrupted the rhythm of a player who was once considered a long-term option at right-back. A sequence of loan spells — Preston, Bolton, Wigan, and most recently Kilmarnock — have brought only 26 appearances combined. These spells were meant to accelerate his development, but instead they reflect a career that has struggled to gain momentum.

Now, as Arne Slot prepares his Liverpool squad for the 2025–26 season, Ramsay finds himself surplus to requirements — not simply on sporting terms, but due to a complication with Premier League registration rules.

Age Criteria and Homegrown Status Create Blockade

Ramsay is no longer eligible to be registered as an under-21 player, and crucially, he also does not meet the criteria to be classed as homegrown. This administrative distinction matters, particularly at a club like Liverpool, who are currently over their quota of 17 non-homegrown players.

What compounds the frustration is that the rules almost worked in Ramsay’s favour. Had he spent last season on loan at a club in England or Wales, he would have met the requirements. Instead, his move to Kilmarnock — while geographically close — proved strategically costly.

Photo: IMAGO

Premier League rules stipulate that a player must have been registered with a club affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for three seasons before the age of 21. Ramsay had clocked up two. That final season in Scotland effectively excluded him from Liverpool’s plans going forward.

No Room in Slot’s Squad

Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley are now the club’s preferred options at right-back. Ramsay, meanwhile, is behind on fitness, sharpness, and squad status. With Liverpool managing their non-homegrown limit, and with new signings such as Milos Kerkez waiting to be registered, Ramsay becomes an inevitable casualty of the numbers game.

Photo: IMAGO

There is no room for sentiment. Ramsay is expected to be made available for sale, alongside other players on the fringe of Slot’s plans, including Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa, and potentially Andy Robertson.

Next Move Likely Lies Away From England

The market for Ramsay is complicated. His lack of regular football makes it difficult to attract interest, and Premier League or even EFL clubs would need to use up a non-homegrown slot to sign him. That is unlikely.

A return to Scotland feels more probable, even if his time at Kilmarnock was muted. In a system increasingly defined by regulation and efficiency, Ramsay’s situation is a cautionary tale — a reminder that a player’s future is not solely shaped by form, but also by paperwork and policy.