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A proposed loan move for Cameron Brannagan to Wigan is on the brink of collapse – because the Latics cannot meet a clause Liverpool insist on with all their loanees.

Wigan were prepared to pay in excess of £1million to sign the young midfielder permanently, but were told that he still features in Jurgen Klopp’s long term plans.

But a follow up move to take the 20-year-old on loan has foundered because Wigan cannot guarantee that Brannagan will play in at least three-quarters of their matches during his loan spell.

The Echo understands that the Reds now insist on a “75 per cent” clause for all of their loaned players, whereby clubs are penalised financially if a player they have loaned does not play in a specified ratio of matches.

The clause is designed to ensure that all players unable to get first team football at Anfield will benefit by gaining valuable first team experience elsewhere.

Football League rules prevent clubs from demanding that loaned players start matches, so the Reds have shrewdly introduced financial penalties into their loan agreements punishing clubs who fail to meet their specified appearance criteria.

The Reds do not ask for loan fees either, with the savings on players’ wages during the loan spells considered a negligible factor in the Anfield club’s thinking.

As well as Brannagan, Ryan Kent is another player attracting significant interest from the Championship, with seven clubs vying to take him on-loan - including Barnsley, Bristol City and MK Dons.

Goalkeepers Danny Ward and Adam Bogdan have joined Huddersfield and Wigan respectively, where they will be first choice goalkeepers, while Jurgen Klopp is agonising whether to allow Jon Flanagan to join Burnley on loan.

The Clarets are keen to take the Reds defender now that he is completely recovered from the knee problem which sidelined him for 18-months, but Klopp must decide whether the 23-year-old will feature at Anfield this season with fierce competition for the full-back places.

Flanagan has featured in all three pre-season friendlies so far and has not missed a single training session since returning for pre-season training.