Liverpool set to terminate defender's loan deal

Liverpool are set to terminate Billy Koumetio’s loan deal with Austria Vienna, according to a fresh report.

The Reds centre-back, dubbed ‘Billy the kid’ by manager Jurgen Klopp, made his first team debut for Liverpool against Midtjylland in December 2020. In doing so Koumetio became the club’s youngest-ever Champions League player.

The following season he started a Carabao Cup game against Leicester, and since the 20-year-old has been a regular in first-team training.

Ahead of the current campaign, Liverpool decided to send Koumetio out on loan for regular game time. Austria Wien subsequently signed the centre-back on a season-long loan deal in June.

Having started the season as a regular for the Austrian Bundesliga side, Koumetio has since lost his place and is now turning out for Wien’s Young Violets side, a reserve team who play in the second division.

Liverpool to terminate the loan

Football Insider claims that Liverpool have discussed the possibility of recalling Koumetio from his loan deal in January. The player has made just one senior appearance since early September.

Wien have opted for the experience of Lucas Galvao alongside Matteo Meisl or Johannes Handl at centre-back, rather than the Liverpool youngster.

Indeed, Austrian teams are awarded a small monetary bonus for each minute that Austrian players are on the field, which may have affected Koumetio’s first team opportunities there.

Returning to Anfield would give the defender the best opportunity of finding a new club in January.

Koumeti, who has made two appearances for France’s under-20s, came through the ranks at Olympique Lyonnais.

The Liverpool youngster, who is out of contract in 2025, is behind Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Nat Phillips in the senior pecking order at Liverpool.