Liverpool goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga admits there is a “possibility” of another loan move this summer, saying he is “more than ready” to step up.
Pitaluga is closing in on the three-year anniversary of his move from Fluminense to Liverpool, and finds himself part of Jurgen Klopp‘s first-team squad.
While also turning out for the under-21s, the Brazilian trains day in, day out with the senior side, working closely with John Achterberg’s coaching staff.
But though Caoimhin Kelleher‘s progress shows a loan move is not essential for a young goalkeeper to establish himself at a club like Liverpool, it is certainly a productive route.
Having spent last season with non-league Macclesfield, helping win the North West Counties Premier Division, Pitaluga believes the Football League is the next step.
“Going out on loan to a Football League team is one possibility,” he told the club’s official website.
“We will see how it goes, but it is massive at my age to be playing games. It would be a step up from last season, but I am more than ready for that.”
On his time at Macclesfield, Pitaluga said: “It was definitely more physical and I would say this was one of the main points about going there.
“You don’t get this level of physicality in the U21s, so it was a bit more of a challenge for me.”
There is definitely a risk in sending a young goalkeeper on loan to a side in the Championship, League One or League Two, as Liverpool have found in recent years.
For example, Vitezslav Jaros struggled for minutes with Stockport County last time out, losing his place due to injury in October and failing to make another appearance in League Two.
Elsewhere, Jakub Ojrzynski was never able to claim the No. 1 spot with Radomiak Radom in his native Poland, seeing his deal terminated in January.
But there are cases where it works, with Harvey Davies poised to make real progress as first-choice goalkeeper at Crewe in League Two this campaign.
If Pitaluga were to be sent out again, it would be down to the club to find the right destination – which is certainly harder now the season is already underway.
There is a case to argue that he should remain and pick up experience with Liverpool, however, particularly as he is now eligible for an under-21 spot in the Europa League squad.
