Calvin Ramsay returns to Liverpool from Preston North End loan spell

The Scotland international dropped down to the Championship with the aim of securing regular first-team football in the 2023-24 campaign, having been plagued by injuries during his first campaign at Liverpool.

However, Ramsay missed the first three months of the season due to a knee injury and subsequent operation, forcing him to wait until November 28 for his debut in a 4-0 loss to Middlesbrough.

The right-back subsequently made his first and only start for Preston in a 2-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers on December 1, after which he rejoined Ryan Lowe's absentee list with COVID-19.

While Ramsay has now recovered from his affliction, the 20-year-old was not considered for selection by Lowe over the festive period, leading to Liverpool entering talks to terminate his loan.

Now, the Reds have confirmed that Ramsay's time at Deepdale has been cut short, although rather than reinforcing Jurgen Klopp's squad, he is expected to be sent out on loan again.

Liverpool remain without three senior full-backs in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kostas Tsimikas and Andrew Robertson due to injury, leaving Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley to hold the fort for the time being.

Bradley has made a positive impression in Liverpool's last two matches against Arsenal and Fulham, though, while all of Alexander-Arnold, Tsimikas and Robertson should make their first-team comebacks within the next several weeks.

As a result, Ramsay's services are unlikely to be required for the second half of the season, and Liverpool want the 20-year-old to be playing regularly approaching the summer months.

The Reds poached Ramsay from Aberdeen for £4m in the summer of 2022, and the defender made two appearances for Klopp's side in his debut season, featuring against Napoli in the Champions League and starting against Derby County in the EFL Cup.

Ramsay made the bench on one occasion in the 2022-23 Premier League season - a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur - but his campaign was cut short when he underwent surgery in February 2023.

Ramsay's contract at Anfield runs until 2027, and he follows Nat Phillips, Owen Beck, Rhys Williams, James Balagizi and Fabio Carvalho in returning to Liverpool during the January transfer window.

Carvalho has already been sent out on loan for a second time to Hull City after his failed RB Leipzig spell, while Luke Chambers, Marcelo Pitaluga and Vitezslav Jaros have also departed on temporary deals this month.

Liverpool return to Premier League action away to Bournemouth on Sunday before the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Fulham - whom they defeated 2-1 at Anfield last week - on January 24.