Liverpool set to recall "exciting" defender from loan spell with Van Dijk injury 'worse than first feared'

Liverpool are reportedly set to recall defender Billy Koumetio from his loan with Austria Vienna, according to the club's sporting director.

Koumetio has made 11 appearances for the Austrian club, but it seems his spell away is going to be cut short with his services required back in Liverpool.

It hasn't been plain sailing for the 20-year-old, who was demoted to Austria Vienna's youth team after being continually left out of the match day squad.

An ankle injury has also halted his progress, whilst Austrian Football Association rules have limited his opportunities, with bonus payments up for grabs if teams don't name more than six foreign players in their squads.

Koumetio spent his time back in the Liverpool academy over the World Cup break, with the player scheduled to return to Austria in January.

However, reports are emerging suggesting the defender will stay put, with Austria Vienna sporting director Manuel Ortlechner confirming that Liverpool are in discussions to terminate his loan spell prematurely.

Austria Vienna's statement

Ortlencher explained, "We are in close contact and I have a phone call to Liverpool later because they would like to bring Koumetio back."

“We still think this is an incredibly exciting player. He can have a really exciting career. But Liverpool want to bring him back now, they have the right.

“We still have to clarify everything in the end, but 99 percent of the time Billy Koumetio will no longer play for Austria Wien," he added.

Koumetio previously discussed the challenge of adapting to life in Austria. In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, he stated: "It’s very different to Liverpool and even England, the country,” he said. “The club is different, the league is different, the language is different. Everything is different."

Liverpool are off the back of a shock 3-1 defeat to Brentford, in which defender Virgil van Dijk was forced off with a hamstring injury at half-time.

The Netherlands international is now expected to miss several weeks of football, with the injury worse than first feared.

Liverpool do have options at centre-back with Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Nat Phillips currently available.

But Koumetio could be called upon to provide extra cover if any other senior centre-backs suffer injuries in the coming weeks.