The Ndukwe Mystery: Why Has Liverpool's 'New Van Dijk' Still Not Made His Debut?
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- Ifeanyi Ndukwe, bek 18 tahun yang dijuluki 'Van Dijk baru', belum mencatat satu menit pun di tim utama Liverpool karena terkendala izin kerja.
- Kegagalan mendapatkan work permit memaksa Liverpool meminjamkannya ke Levante, meski ia tampil impresif di pramusim dengan memenangkan 100% duel dan akurasi umpan 96%.
- Situasi ini memunculkan pertanyaan tentang strategi regenerasi lini belakang Liverpool, terutama dengan kontrak Van Dijk yang akan berakhir dan spekulasi kepergiannya.
Ifeanyi Ndukwe, the 198 cm young defender nicknamed the 'new Van Dijk', has yet to play a single minute for Liverpool's first team. The reason is not doubt over his quality, but an administrative hurdle: he failed to obtain a work permit, which forced him to be loaned to Levante in LaLiga.
Ndukwe was signed by Liverpool from Austria Wien last January for a fee of around £2.6 million. After officially joining this summer, he immediately caught the eye in pre-season. In the match against Monaco, he impressed by winning every duel and recording 96% passing accuracy over 45 minutes. That performance fueled expectations that he would be part of Andoni Iraola's squad this season, especially after Ibrahima Konate's departure on a free transfer.
However, those hopes were dashed by the work permit issue. Instead of strengthening Liverpool, Ndukwe is now on loan at Levante. The move was made so he can still get playing minutes and competitive experience at senior level. Although he has only made two substitute appearances, his experience in Spain is expected to be a stepping stone to return to Anfield in a more ready state.
Analyst Raj Chohan rates Ndukwe as having 'Van Dijk vibes', a combination of aerial strength and composure on the ball. That potential has convinced Liverpool that he is a long-term successor in defense. However, with Virgil van Dijk's contract set to expire in a year and no extension talks yet, succession planning has become crucial. Van Dijk himself revealed last month that discussions about a new contract had not taken place.
"Ndukwe has Van Dijk vibes. He is dominant in the air but also calm on the ball," said analyst Raj Chohan.
On the other hand, Liverpool's defense still has problems at full-back after the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. However, at center-back, Van Dijk has found an ideal partner in Jeremy Jacquet, who was signed from Rennes for £60 million. If Van Dijk leaves, Ndukwe is projected to fill the vacated position, alongside Jacquet.
This work permit obstacle is not the first time it has happened to a young foreign player in England. Strict regulations often hinder clubs from signing young talent from abroad, especially those without senior international caps. Liverpool hopes the loan spell at Levante can serve as a temporary solution while waiting for Ndukwe to become eligible for a work permit.
Going forward, the big question is whether Ndukwe can return to Liverpool soon and show his quality in the Premier League. If he continues to develop, it is not impossible that he becomes a first-choice center-back in the future. However, with uncertainty over Van Dijk's contract, Liverpool must prepare for various scenarios. Will Ndukwe be the long-term solution, or will Liverpool need to look for other options in the transfer market?
