OPINION
Liverpool must send Dominic Solanke to Rangers in the summer as it’s the best scenario for all parties involved.
The 20-year-old centre-forward has made 25 appearances for the Reds this season, but hasn’t managed to score a goal to aid his side’s cause.
While Solanke may have registered an assist during the 3-0 victory over Stoke City in November, the young forward is clearly still learning his trade and is not ready to be a first-team regular at Anfield.
Playing regularly is important to his continued development and he should be loaned out to a team who will give him plenty of opportunities to play next season, in order to ensure he keeps progressing.
Jurgen Klopp, while keen to use youthful players, cannot guarantee Solanke nearly enough playing time in the Reds’ first-team, what with having Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane,Mohamed Salah and Danny Ings as options to choose from in his squad.
While the majority of the players listed above don’t play as out-and-out centre-forwards like Solanke, their presence still sees him be way down in the pecking order.
Phil Thompson when evaluating the Reds’ transfer signings this season, Solanke joined from Chelsea last summer, declared the acquirement of the 20-year-old as a hit and heaped praise on his attitude.
“It is very difficult to say at this stage because he’s such a young lad and still learning,” said the Sky Sports pundit, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“To me he’s looked ready when he’s come on and always looked eager to work hard, from what I’ve heard from the U23s, he’s been willing to do his bit and getting on in the semi-final must’ve been a dream for him.”
While Thompson clearly drooled over Solanke’s potential when evaluating him, in order for the pundit to continue to be impressed, the forward should go to the Gers on loan for a season.
The Scottish Sun reported that Steven Gerrard, who will officially take charge of the Light Blues on June 1, was keen to take the English striker on loan to Ibrox from Premier League outfit Liverpool.
Given Gerrard’s Reds connection, the inexperienced manager is the perfect person to aid Solanke’s development in order to make him good enough to regularly play at Anfield.
The move wouldn’t just benefit Klopp’s side, it would be a fantastic bit of business conducted by the Gers.
The 20-year-old has all the tools needed to be able to find his scoring boots in Scotland’s top division and it’s easy to see him leaping frogging the Light Blue’s current attacking options to feature regularly.
Therefore given the fact it would be a potential deal that would benefit both clubs and the player involved, the Reds should deliver Solanke to Ibrox by agreeing to loan him to them for a season.