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No fewer than 21 players were sent out on loan by Liverpool during the 2015-16 season.

Some, such as Mario Balotelli, left because they were surplus to requirements at first-team level.

Others, Luis Alberto or Andre Wisdom for example, went in order to keep their profile and value up ahead of likely permanent moves away from the club this summer.

But for the most part, Liverpool’s use of the loan system was about one thing – giving young players experience of first-team football.

Of those 21 players all bar one – Balotelli – are 23 or under. All bar four – Balotelli, Alberto, Wisdom and Lazar Markovic – have less than 50 senior games under their belt. Liverpool’s policy last season, then, was to get players out, get them experiencing the unforgiving world of competitive football.

The loan system is one that is vital for English Football League clubs, who would find life far tougher without it.

But it has its flaws too. After arriving at Anfield in October, Jurgen Klopp expressed his opinion on it.

“I’m not sure in this moment it’s always best to give young players to other clubs,” he said. “I think it’s a kind of pressure you don’t need at that age.

“You play together with experienced players every day and have to show you are better than them. Everyone at home is expecting you to take the next step.

“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. We will see what we will do in the future.

Sure enough, come January Liverpool, with their senior squad hit by injury, recalled the likes of Ilori, Sheyi Ojo, Ryan Kent, Danny Ward and Kevin Stewart – all of whom would feature for the first-team before the end of the season.

All change?

Next season, though, promises to be different. The scrapping of the ‘emergency loan’ system in the Football League – at Fifa’s request - means that loan deals will need to be done on a window-to-window basis - as opposed to the current system, which allows clubs to sign loan players month-to-month, and outside the transfer window.

It means clubs bringing players in will need to make a longer-term commitment, while clubs loaning players out will be unable to recall players at short notice in the event of an injury crisis.

They will also need to judge the benefits of a loan deal more carefully than ever, particularly with the lifespan of Football League managers getting shorter each season.

It is not hard to imagine a situation whereby a young player is sent to, say, a Championship club in August, only for the manager who signed him to be sacked in September and replaced by someone who isn’t so keen.

The idea of a player sitting in another club’s reserves for three months is not one that appeals to the likes of Klopp and Liverpool.

A benefit or a hindrance?

What, then, will the new rules mean for Liverpool next season?

The hope is that the club’s decision to send so many players out on loan – and so many of them on first-time loans – will make Football League clubs less fearful of taking a punt on them next season. Clubs are known to be wary of taking on first-time loan players as it is – having to commit to them for three or four months at a time will only further complicate matters.

The likes of Ryan Kent, for example, has now played 17 games in League One, while Sergi Canos has a standout season in the Championship behind him. Harry Wilson, Ryan Fulton, Will Marsh and Taiwo Awoniyi have all made their first steps into senior football this season and should therefore be more appealing.

The Klopp effect

Of course, the wishes of the manager must be respected. Klopp reiterated in January that “the best talents should be in their club so they can develop,” and stated his desire to see

U21 players play together and “develop as a team.”

Other solutions to the problem of developing players through these crucial years, though, could emerge.

In March it was revealed that the Premier League were in negotiations to enter up to 16 ‘B’ teams into next season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, as a means of giving academy-produced players a taste of real competitive football.

That is yet to be finalised – and has understandable opposition in some quarters – though plenty of respected Premier League figures are keen to discuss the idea of B-teams being introduced into the League pyramid in the near future. Clubs have also discussed the prospect of a revamped ‘Premier League II’ for U21 players, with concerns over both the number of fixtures played currently as well as the standard of them.

Whatever happens, keep a close eye on Liverpool’s young stars next season.

With the likes of Ben Woodburn, Adam Phillips and Ovie Ejaria, Melwood staff reckon they’ve got some gems on their hands. It will be fascinating, then, to see how they develop – and where.

Liverpool’s 21 loan stars in 2015/16

Danny Ward (Aberdeen) 29 appearances

Luis Alberto (Deportivo La Coruna) 31 appearances

Kevin Stewart (Swindon Town) 7 appearances

Sheyi Ojo (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 19 appearances

Ryan McLaughlin (Aberdeen) 5 appearances

Samed Yesil (FC Luzern) 12 appearances

Ryan Kent (Coventry City) 17 appearances

Allan Rodrigues de Souza (SJK then Sint-Truidense) 17 appearances total

Sergi Canos (Brentford) 39 appearances

Harry Wilson (Crewe Alexandra) 7 appearances

Lloyd Jones (Blackpool) 11 appearances

Jordan Williams (Swindon Town) 10 appearances

Andre Wisdom (Norwich City) 14 appearances

Mario Balotelli (AC Milan) 22 appearances

Lazar Markovic (Fenerbahce) 20 appearances

Tiago Ilori (Aston Villa) 0 appearances

Ryan Fulton (Portsmouth) 13 appearances

Will Marsh (Sheffield Wednesday) 0 appearances

Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt) 14 appearances

Lawrence Vigouroux (Swindon Town) 36 appearances

Marko Grujic (Red Star Belgrade) 7 appearances