Tiago Ilori vill stanna i Liverpool, men klubben verkar vilja låna ut honom igen.

Igår gjorde Ilori comeback efter en tids skadefrånvaro. Det var i U21-matchen mellan Liverpool och Everton, vars slutresultat blev 3-3, som portugisen åter igen spelade. Efter matchen var Ilori väldigt tydligt med att han vill stanna kvar i klubben den här säsongen: ”I haven’t played for a few months so the most important thing for me was to get back into action. It was frustrating to get injured but at the same time I hadn’t had a holiday for two years and you need some time off, so it came at the right time. I want to play for Liverpool. I don’t want to be in Liverpool just to be sitting around. My objective is the same as every other player, we all want to play so everyone’s going to fight for their place,” sa Ilori till Liverpool Echo.

Ilori spelade i 45 minuter och var nöjd med comebacken: ”It was always the idea just to play the first half. I haven’t played for two months so they want to take things slow but I’m a step closer to being 100%. It was good tonight. Sometimes it’s a bit difficult, I don’t really know the players, they don’t really know me. We play differently – the last time I played was for the Portugal team where we’ve known each other for a long time and have our own particular way of playing. Being back in Liverpool and getting used to the different way of playing and the players is difficult but it’s good.”

Vidare betonade 22-åringen att han inte skrev på för LFC för att spela för andra klubbar: ”I joined Liverpool two seasons ago to play for Liverpool, that is my number one objective so I’m going to do everything to make that happen.”

Skadefrånvaron har varit frustrerande för Ilori: ”The injury during the Euros was frustrating, I felt somehow and decided I had to come off but then I played the final and felt great. It was frustrating not being able to start with the rest of the group in pre-season but it was better it happened then than in the season. Injury wise, I’m now 100%. I chose Liverpool over a few other teams a couple of years ago and it’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League. To be at a club like this is a dream come true – the next step is playing for it. I just know that I need to carry on working.”

Liverpools U21-manager Michael Beale verkar dock anse att både Ilori and landsmannen Joao Carlos Teixiera bör lånas ut igen: ”Tiago and Joao have not played for the U21s in two seasons now, they’re very much seen as senior first team members of squad. They needed tonight for minutes, fitness and exposure and I thought both boys acquitted themselves well. Obviously Tiago has been away and had an experience outside of England and we’re hoping he’ll get another loan in the coming weeks alongside Joao.”

Över 100 scouter uppges ha varit på plats i U21-matchen. En bra scen att visa upp sig på, men Ilori vill ju stanna kvar. Detta påpekades för Beale, som varpå svarade: ”I think Tiago will benefit from another loan if the option is to stay here and play U21s football.

”I think Tiago will obviously benefit from a loan experience. going and playing in the leagues will be important for him. he had fantastic exposure in the summer playing in the European Championships where I thought he did well. And for Joao as well, he had a lovely season last year at Brighton so these boys now need to go and play with men in the leagues.

”Obviously it will be the decision of Brendan Rodgers and his staff that if these boys aren’t going to be and around the starting team then they need to go and play and keep developing. They both have a lot to work with there and a lot of talent.”