Injuries have been piling up at Anfield, and with several key first-team players sidelined, an unexpected opportunity could be knocking for a forgotten Liverpool midfielder to make his long-awaited return to senior action before the season ends.
Wednesday's training session saw notable absentees like Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, and Alexander Isak missing from the main group. Ibrahima Konate and Florian Wirtz were working off to the side, joining longer-term injury absentees such as Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Wataru Endo, and Giovanni Leoni on the sidelines.
But amid the injury gloom, one familiar face was spotted training with the first team: James McConnell. The 21-year-old midfielder's season has been a rollercoaster. He started the campaign on loan at Ajax, but the deal was cut short after he underwent surgery for an injury at the beginning of the year.
Now back in the fold, McConnell has been a regular presence around the senior squad since his return to fitness. Liverpool academy reporter Lewis Bower hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that the youngster could be in line for a first-team squad place over the final three matches of the season. "James McConnell still training with the Liverpool first-team again today," Bower noted. "With some of the absentees from training today, we might see him in the first-team squad before the end of the season."
It's been a long road back for the academy graduate. McConnell was part of the heroic Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea two years ago, a night that showcased Liverpool's incredible depth. However, he has only made 13 senior appearances for the Reds, with his most recent coming in the disappointing FA Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle in February 2025.
His loan spell at Ajax didn't provide the game time he was hoping for—just 219 minutes across seven appearances. But since returning to Liverpool, he has regained fitness at the under-21 level and has been training consistently with the first team.
With the season winding down and the squad stretched thin by injuries, McConnell might just get the chance to end a 15-month wait for his next senior appearance in a Liverpool shirt. For a player who once shone in a cup final, this could be the perfect stage for a comeback.
For Liverpool fans, seeing another academy product potentially step up would be a fitting way to close out the campaign—and a reminder that the club's future might already be training alongside the stars.