Why Sheyi Ojo Is the Returning Loanee Who Will Make Biggest Liverpool Impact

Liverpool began the 2015/16 season with 19 players loaned out, with a mixture of high-profile first-team players—Mario Balotelli and Lazar Markovic, most notably—departing for the season, and numerous academy players heading out to gain experience in the lower leagues.

That number is now down to 12 players, with two of them (centre-back Lloyd Jones and midfielder Jordan Williams) back at the club to recover from injury.

Having been left a squad lacking in depth but competing in the Europa League, one of the first issues Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was asked was whether he would look to recall players from their temporary moves away.

“Maybe we need to cool down the situation a little bit, hold on to these guys longer and let them play in our second team and develop as a team," said Klopp in early November.

This followed contrasting reports on whether Markovic's loan to Fenerbahce could be cut short in January.

“I have not understood all the rules in this moment with players on loan, [whether] we can get [them] back or not,” he explained in October.

Klopp inherited a squad desperately short of cover for full-backs Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno, and devoid of wide players—yet the club had/have Andre Wisdom and Markovic out on loan.

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With 13 senior players unavailable for the FA Cup tie at Exeter City last Friday, the Reds moved to cut short the loans of Tiago Ilori, Kevin Stewart and Sheyi Ojo—each on season loan deals to Aston Villa, Swindon Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.

Meanwhile, Ryan Kent's loan at Coventry City wasn't extended as was perhaps previously intended.

Since then, the club have also recalled goalkeeper Danny Ward from his season loan at Aberdeen. Ryan McLaughlin had also been with the Scottish side but returned to Merseyside in December after a lack of playing time north of the border.

Ilori, Stewart and Kent went straight into the starting XI against Exeter, while Ojo and Joe Maguire—who had a short spell on loan at Leyton Orient at the beginning of the season—appeared as second-half substitutes, meaning five loaned players made their debuts in the game.

Exeter

Ilori, the London-born Portuguese youth international, was finally making his competitive debut for the club two-and-a-half years after arriving from Sporting. It was a difficult game to judge the 22-year-old in—given that he was severely lacking match fitness, paired alongside left-back Jose Enrique and playing on an extremely heavy pitch.

Withdrawn after 77 minutes, Ilori put in a composed if understandably rusty performance, often having to cover for the out-of-position Enrique alongside him.

With Liverpool's centre-back crisis now easing, it will be interesting to see how much Ilori now features in the remaining months of the season under Klopp. He could force his way in ahead of Kolo Toure, should the youngster impress in training and when likely given another opportunity in the replay at Anfield.

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While the jury may still be out on Ilori, it was perhaps the teenage wingers who caught the eye the most, with Kent in the first 57 minutes and Ojo the last 20 minutes.

Kent provided direct running, willing to take on defenders and drive forward with the ball—an attribute Liverpool are lacking in their first-team squad at present. Indeed, it was somewhat surprising when he was the first player withdrawn.

Ojo

Ojo, meanwhile, was similarly impressive, playing from the left side of attack. He provided a positive cameo and was instrumental in Brad Smith's equalising goal, supplying the cross that was parried for the Australian to power home.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo post-match, Ojo said:

"

I’ve been looking forward to that moment for a long time and it came tonight so I’m really happy.

Before I came on the manager just told me to relax and to express myself. He asked me to try to get the team back in the game with a goal or an assist.

I was thankful for the way it went for me. Hopefully I made an impact on the game.

"

He certainly had an impact on the game from the bench—which is something that Wolves fans have seen in the opening half of the season.

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The 18-year-old found himself out of favour at Molineux in recent weeks, but he did contribute three goals and four assists in his 19 appearances for the Championship outfit. That's not a bad return for a player finding his way in professional football.

However, Wolves fans were left disappointed by the England under-19 international, with Wolves blog Compton Stars telling This Is Anfield's Jack Lusby: "I am sorry to say I think the majority of fans have been disappointed, quite clearly Sheyi has lots of ability but in our opinion he doesn’t have the desire or application to be playing at this particular level at this time of his career."

Crucially, though, they explain that: "... he has made far more of an impact in the last 15 minutes off the bench than when he starts."

That's a role Ojo could now take at Liverpool—who are severely lacking in wide players with pace.

Ojo's exclusion from the under-21s squad that beat Southampton under-21s on Monday night hints at his inclusion in the first-team squad for the match against Arsenal on Wednesday night.

With Jordon Ibe sidelined with injury, Ojo would be the one pacy wide player Klopp could call on to help change the game in the latter stages.

"My main aim is to push on and try to play in the Premier League with Liverpool," says Ojo. "I’ve just got to keep working hard and listening to what the coaches are telling me."

That Premier League debut could be just around the corner, and he could then get his first start for the club against Exeter in the replay next week—completing a turnaround from being excluded from the Wolves squad for the past month.

Of course, once Liverpool's injuries clear up, it will be difficult for Ojo to keep himself in the first-team squad, but should he take the opportunities he looks set to have now, he could have more of an impact in these final months of the season.

Of all the recalled loan players, Ojo looks best placed to have an impact on the first team this season.