After just seven weeks, Liverpool have cut short Owen Beck‘s loan with Portuguese outfit Famalicao, who has now joined his academy full-back partner Conor Bradley at Bolton.
Of all the loan moves Liverpool have sanctioned this summer, Beck’s move to Portugal was perhaps the most eye-catching, with the left-back moving abroad in search of regular game time.
But having been an unused substitute in Famalicao’s first three league games of the season, and left out of the squad entirely for their fourth, the decision was made to cut short the season-long loan deal after just 46 days.
The 20-year-old now joins his good friend and Liverpool academy full-back partner Conor Bradley at Bolton, where the Northern Irishman has enjoyed a fruitful start to life in the Football League.
Both players featured for the Reds’ first team last season, with Jurgen Klopp impressed with their progress in 2021/22.
And while Bradley has hit the ground running in League One, Beck’s spell in Portugal was far less successful, making the decision to send him to Bolton an easy one.
Bradley already has two goals and two assists to his name this season, including a stunning long range effort against Salford City in the League Cup, and Bolton manager Ian Evatt has been more than pleased with his progress.
“He’s doing okay, if anyone from Liverpool is listening to this, he’s going okay,” he told reporters earlier this month.
“He’s a wonderful young man and his performances, I’m not surprised, I told you exactly how highly we rated him, but for me it’s just his character and the way he is, he just loves the game, loves football, wants to learn, a wonderful young man with a fantastic attitude.”
The Northern Ireland international’s attacking capabilities have seen him utilised as a right wing-back in recent weeks.
In theory, Beck would be ideal for a similar role on the opposite side, although he’ll have competition from Declan John and Jack Iredale, who are the other left-backs on the books at Bolton.
Beck is, of course, the great-nephew of Liverpool legend Ian Rush, and was said to be attracting loan interest from Premier League clubs before his move to Portugal.
For now, though, the opportunity for him to reunite with Bradley at Bolton is a no brainer, and the League One outfit can count themselves lucky to have two promising young full-backs on their hands!
