Liverpool youngster Calum Scanlon could be sidelined for as long as 12 weeks with a hamstring injury, having picked up the issue on loan at Millwall.
The 19-year-old made the temporary move to south London during last summer’s transfer window, with the Reds feeling it was best for his development.
Unfortunately for Scanlon, his time at Millwall has been hugely frustrating, with injury problems holding him back throughout the campaign.
Having returned recently, the left winger damaged his hamstring away to Luton Town last weekend, and speaking about his injury [via Southwark News], Lions boss Alex Neil has admitted he could be out for months, potentially ruling him out for the season:
“Calum’s got a grade three on his hamstring. Calum will be probably twelve weeks, so maybe a season-finisher for Calum.”
Cruel blow for Liverpool youngster
This is such an unlucky setback for Scanlon, who will have been hoping to catch the eye at Millwall this season, gaining invaluable experience in the process.
Instead, the teenager has had to watch on from the sidelines most of the time and this new injury is a cruel blow after only recently overcoming another issue, with Neil praising him earlier this month, saying:
“I thought he was excellent. He’s athletic, he’s technical, he can handle the ball. The game, probably at the start, was a little bit quick for him, in terms of getting his head up and maybe feeding a couple down the side. But there is loads and loads to work with.”
It remains to be seen if Scanlon will return before the end of the season – 12 weeks means he would be back around late April – but even if he does, he will find it tough to find any kind of match fitness.
Hopefully, Scanlon will return to Liverpool in the summer and play a part in pre-season under Arne Slot, before potentially being loaned out again, this time enjoying more regular playing time and avoiding the injury curse.
It’s too early in his career to tell if he will make the grade at Anfield, but finding him another temporary club in 2025/26 makes more sense than keeping hold of him.
