Liverpool are expected to sanction exit for midfielder absent from Preston friendly

Liverpool’s warmup friendly against Preston at the AXA Training Centre was revealing in those players not involved, including 21-year-old Dominic Corness.

The Reds stepped up their pre-season preparations with a behind-closed-doors clash with Preston on Friday which, though a 1-0 loss, was seen as a productive exercise.

Arne Slot used 25 players throughout, with the majority of those clocking their first 45 minutes on the pitch, including a number of academy youngsters.

• READ: 25 Liverpool players feature in Arne Slot’s first pre-season friendly

There was plenty to take away from the meeting with the Championship side, not least those who were absent from the squad.

Midfielder Corness began pre-season as part of the senior ranks, but has since dropped out and is believed to have returned to training with the U21s.

Having spent the season on loan with Swiss side Yverdon-Sport last time out, there is little chance that he will remain with the academy side for the upcoming campaign.

Instead, the Reds should realistically sanction another move for a player who turned 21 in May, with the Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle explaining that this is “likely to be on loan.”

No clubs are reported to hold an interest in Corness yet, though Yverdon-Sport are unlikely to have been the only side pursuing him last summer.

A switch to closer to home in the Football League could prove the next step, following in the footsteps of the likes of Conor Bradley, Tyler Morton and Jarell Quansah.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in April, Corness reflected on his spell in Switzerland and mapped out his plans for the summer ahead.

“I’ve developed as a player, I think, as I’ve been over here. Hopefully, by the time I come back, I will have kept developing,” he explained.

“For the rest of the season, the aim is just to try and play as many games as possible.

“Then finish the season and then go back into Liverpool in as good a shape as possible and try and impress whoever the new manager is, or look at whatever gets put in front of me.”

Corness played 21 times for Yverdon-Sport in his first season in senior Football, but saw his campaign end early due to injury.

He is still eligible as an underage player for Liverpool, but faces an uncertain future along with the likes of Tom Hill, James Norris, Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio, who are all in limbo between academy and first team.