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Liverpool and loans are not natural bedfellows. Since the turn of the millennium, the Reds have farmed out plenty of players to other clubs, never to see them return.



Alou Diarra was signed in 2002, took a three-year tour of France, before being sold to Lens. Jon Otsemobor spent time at Hull, Bolton and Crewe before his Anfield career was cut short; Godwin Antwi was subject to four loans, as was Adam Hammill, while Krisztian Nemeth was sent to AEK Athens before being shipped off elsehwere.



That is not to say these players should have come back to Anfield – Nemeth now plays for Roda JC, while Otsemobor no longer has a team – but the club's utilisation of loan deals consistently baffled.



There have been exceptions - Danny Murphy, Stephen Warnock and Martin Kelly – but for a long while, being sent on loan was one step closer to the exit door, the point of no return.



Change could be afoot; no surprise with Brendan Rodgers in charge. The Northern Irishman has spoken of how the current crop of loanees are benefiting from their tasks elsewhere.



“The loans have certainly been beneficial,” Rodgers told the ECHO.



“There are different types of loans for different players. In particular for the young players it’s very important for them to gain that experience.



“It's good for us to put them into clubs who operate with a similar philosophy. That helps their development and hopefully brings them back ready to play pressurised football at a high level.”



On-loan Liverpool stars have been a hot topic in the past week anyway - largely because of Fabio Borini.



The Italian, arguably the most high-profile temporary departure of the summer, etched himself into Sunderland folklore with a magnificent goal in the League Cup final. In truth, his showings in the competition against Manchester United and Chelsea – as well as a winner against rivals Newcastle – had already put him in Wearside's good graces.



But the experience Rodgers spoke of is not just about time on the pitch, with ball at feet; it is also about emotion and mentality, about having important roles in important games. Shaking off Vincent Kompany and caressing the ball beyond Costel Pantilimon was vital – but just as vital was seeing, hearing and feeling the adulation of the Black Cats supporters.

Borini was one of three loanees mentioned by Rodgers - Suso, on loan to Almeria, and Andre Wisdom, who is currently at Derby County, were also referenced.



Indeed, those three are the three who could potentially improve the squad next season and strength its depth - particularly important with European football looking a certainty.



In the league, Borini has already scored two more than he did for the Reds last season, albeit in 21 games as opposed to 13.



His shot accuracy has also doubled in improvement, from 30% to 62%, while his shots per game (1.5), dribbles per game (0.8) and key passes per game (0.5) have all markedly improved.



This is despite Sunderland boss Gus Poyet often utilising him on the wings – but regardless of where he plays, he looks stronger, quicker and sharper.



For Suso, he has relished the responsibility of being the creative pivot of relegation battlers Almeria. He has already made 10 more league appearances than he did last season, scoring two goals and making seven assists.



He is far more creative, making 0.9 chances a game as opposed to 0.57, while his accuracy with the ball has improved to 73%. He also averages one key pass a game – an impressive effort for a side tipped to go straight back down – while he's doubled his number of dribbles from last season to 1.6 a game.



Wisdom, meanwhile, has profited from the tutelage of Steve McLaren. He's already made 79 clearances, seven blocks and 14 interceptions this season – more than his tallies at Liverpool last season. The defender has also gradually reduced his tendency to dive in, making fewer tackles per game than he did at Anfield.



The futures of these three players are not known for certain, but what is known is how all three have improved at their current clubs, thriving in their new-found responsibility.



Not all loan deals will bring the success of this trio. While Jordon Ibe and Tiago Ilori will hope to emulate them at Birmingham and Granada respectively, the status of others remains unknown.



It has been two decades of getting these deals more wrong than right, but this season looks set to change that in some way. When hoping to compete for honours both domestically and on the European stage, the shift will be most welcome.

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