Liverpool’s highly rated teenage defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe will not be eligible to play competitive football for the club in 2026 because he does not currently meet the requirements for a UK work permit under the post-Brexit system.
The 18-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Austria Vienna in a deal reportedly worth £2.6 million, has impressed during pre-season and has featured prominently under new manager Andoni Iraola.
However, despite his performances, the Austria youth international has not reached the points threshold required to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), which is necessary for overseas players to appear in competitive matches in England.
According to a report by the BBC on Tuesday, Ndukwe can still play in Liverpool’s remaining pre-season friendly against Como on August 16, but he will not be eligible for the club’s competitive fixtures once the season begins.
The 6ft 6in centre-back has received significant pre-season opportunities because Liverpool are currently short of defensive options.
Joe Gomez suffered an injury in the club’s first pre-season match, £60 million signing Jeremy Jacquet has been dealing with a knee problem, while Giovanni Leoni is recovering from a serious knee injury.
Ndukwe started alongside captain Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Monaco at Anfield on Sunday. He had already completed two full 90-minute appearances and another 80-minute outing during pre-season.
The teenager reportedly impressed in the Monaco game, winning several defensive duels and producing a backheel that drew a reaction from the Anfield crowd.
After the match, Van Dijk described him as “a big talent.”
The Dutch defender said Ndukwe is eager to learn and is continuing to make progress.
The situation arises from the work-permit system introduced after the United Kingdom left the European Union, which requires overseas players to meet specific criteria before they can play competitively in England.
Players who do not qualify through the standard GBE route can sometimes be registered through an Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) slot.
Premier League and Championship clubs are allowed up to four ESC players, depending on the proportion of minutes given to England-qualified players in the previous season.
Liverpool currently has only one ESC place available, and it has already been used for Senegalese teenager Mor Talla Ndiaye.
As a result, Ndukwe is expected to go out on loan in order to continue his development and accumulate the points needed for a future work permit.
His agent, Georg Lederer, said in July that a suitable loan club would be identified where the defender could gain experience at a high level.
Liverpool and the player’s representatives are expected to make a decision on his next move within the next two weeks.
To qualify automatically for a visa, Ndukwe must accumulate 15 points across several categories while on loan, with the quality of the league in which he plays influencing how quickly he can earn the required points.
If he secures the right loan move, he could potentially reach the necessary tally by January 2027, which would allow him to return to Liverpool and become eligible for competitive matches in the second half of the season.
