Jose Enrique Loan Move to Crystal Palace Makes Sense for Liverpool

Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique is wanted by new Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, according to Jason Percy of The Telegraph.

Pardew needs a left-back at Selhurst Park, with Julian Ward, a natural right-back, deputising in the role for most of this campaign following the arrival of another Liverpool defender, Martin Kelly.

Percy claims Pardew has made an inquiry for the Spanish defender and is keen to offer him regular football.

Such a move would make sense for all parties. Palace need a left-back, Enrique needs to play football, and Liverpool don't need Enrique.

Speaking last week, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers said, per Sky Sports, "If everyone stays there might be a few who need to go out on loan because they are not playing so much."

Enrique certainly fits that category, having made just five starts and two substitute appearances this season.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Even when he has featured, the former Newcastle United defender has far from impressed. The standout—for all the wrong reasons—was Enrique's showing in the roller-coaster performance at Queens Park Rangers back in October.

"

Jose Enrique has completed just 52% of his passes so far vs QPR; 1 of them was a glorious Hollywood pass, so it's OK. pic.twitter.com/X1swAzzjfH

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 19, 2014 "

"

Defending: making mistakes and learning from them. #ignoreyourman https://t.co/tP7oDVpPsK

— Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) October 20, 2014"

Lethargic, predictable and positionally poor, Enrique is far from good enough for a club competing at the top end of the Premier League.

Indeed, B/R's Karl Matchett made a compelling argument for why Enrique should have left the club in the summer of 2013. 

Backup at best

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

With Jon Flanagan returning to light training next week, per David Maddock of the Mirror, Enrique's opportunities are likely to be further limited, and Liverpool have plenty of better options on the left of their defence.

There's also the return of Glen Johnson this month (January 17, according to PhysioRoom.com), and the England international has proved a better option in a less familiar left-back role than in his natural right-back role in the past.

That puts Enrique behind Alberto Moreno, Flanagan and Johnson in the pecking order at left-back when all are fit and available.

Mind you, Enrique's chances have already been dealt a severe blow with the change to three at the back and the use of wide midfielders/wing-backs. Rodgers has used Moreno and Lazar Markovic down the left over the past month.

Furthermore, Enrique's reported wages of £65,000 per week, according to TSM Plug, put him in the category of players whose wages do not represent their status in the Liverpool squad. Having backup players on such wages is not an efficient use of the club's money.

Indeed, Enrique's Anfield future looks bleak, and he will surely be one of the many squad players offloaded this summer. The 28-year-old Spaniard will follow Johnson and Steven Gerrard out of the club, freeing up wages of over a quarter of a million pounds per week.