Loan Lads by Paul Bickler
Alright people, wipe your eyes. Let’s do the right thing. Don’t touch each other’s faces, wash your hands and let’s check in with the lads out on loan!
Lloris Karius (B) GK (26 yrs) Turkey 1. Super Lig – Besiktas
Besiktas 2 – 1 Ankaragucu Minutes: Started – 90 mins
Conceded on a 90th-minute penalty kick. Guessed right, hair got in the way. Ya know…
Ovie Ejaria (B-) CM (22 yrs) England 2. Championship – Reading
Birmingham 1 – 3 Reading Minutes: Started – 72 mins
Certainly didn’t do much wrong but was one of the dimmer lights on the day. Despite completing a game-high 90% of his passes, Ejaria wasn’t his dynamic self moving forward. Perhaps a bit legged after logging in nearly 100 minutes in a tough extra-time loss to Sheffield on Tuesday in the F.A. Cup.
Nathaniel Phillips (C) CB (22 yrs) Germany 2. Bundesliga – VfB Stuttgart
Greuther Furth 2 – 0 VfB Stuttgart Minutes: Started – 90 minutes
A day to forget for Phillips as Stuttgart’s 6 games unbeaten run in league play came to an end. Lately, he’s been a man on the form on the right side of a back 3, here’s to hoping for a bounce-back next week.
Rhian Brewster (C) ST (19 yrs) England 2. Championship – Swansea City
Swansea City 0 – 0 West Bromwich Albion Minutes: Started – 90 minutes
A day to forget for young, Rhian as he struggled to link up with the midfield. 2 shots and nothing on frame.
Marko Grujic (N/A) CM (23 yrs) Germany 1. Bundesliga – Hertha Berlin
Hertha BSC 2 – 2 Werder Bremen Unused Substitute
It’s a worrying trend at Hertha. The team picked up Ascacibar, during the winter transfer window as an additional deep-lying midfielder, in what is already a crowded midfield. This is the second game in a row Grujic was named in the squad but not used off the bench.
Taiwo Awoniyi (N/A) ST (22 yrs) Germany 1. Bundesliga – Mainz 05
Mainz 05 1 – 1 Fortuna Dusseldorf
Not named to the bench
Sheyi Ojo (N/A) RM/RW (22 yrs) Scotland 1. Rangers
Ross County 0 – 1 Rangers
Not named to the bench
Harry Wilson (Ineligible) ST (22 yrs) England 1. Premiership – Bournemouth
Liverpool 2 – 1 Bournemouth
Ineligible vs. parent club.
Herbie Kane (Injured) CDM (21 yrs) England 1. Championship – Hull City
Out for the year with torn ankle ligaments.
Kamil Grabara (Injured) GK (20 yrs) England 2. Championship – Huddersfield Town
Back in training, wearing a skull cap as he recovers from an extremely serious concussion and brain bleed suffered during Huddersfield Town’s 2-1 win over Hull City at the beginning of January.
Benjamin Woodburn (Injured) CAM (20 yrs) England 3. League 1 – Oxford
Back in training and nearing return after 5 months out. Woodburn broke a bone in his left foot on a horror challenge back in October and then suffered a similar injury to his right foot while back in training in December.
Liam Millar (Recalled from loan) LW/ST (20 yrs)
The young Canadian was recalled during January with the player unsettled and struggling with the system at Kilmarnock FC. The club opted to bring him back early. Made his debut Feb. 4th vs Shrewsbury in the F.A. Cup.
Allan Rodrigues de Souza (SOLD) CM/CAM (22 yrs)
After 4 and a half years of loans, Allan was sold during the winter transfer window to Atletico Mineiro for ￡3.2 million with a 10% sell-on clause.