Forgotten Liverpool player who signed for the club in 2018 still hasn’t played a single game

A forgotten Liverpool player who hasn’t played a game for the club in over six years is still under contract after the Reds announced their retained list.

Liverpool confirmed their 2023/24 retained list on Wednesday morning, with 10 players released across the first team and academy.

The most high-profile names to depart Anfield are midfielder Thiago Alcantara and centre-back Joel Matip, while veteran goalkeeper Adrian has been offered a new contract. Of the other players under professional contract, Adam Lewis, Melkamu Frauendorf, and Mateusz Musialowski will all leave the club.

One player who is remaining at the club is centre-back Anderson Arroyo, who joined the Reds from Colombian side Fortaleza C.E.I.F. in February 2018. The Colombian, who has played for his country at age group level, still has another year left on his contract, which expires in the summer of 2025.

Arroyo will, therefore, enter his eighth season as a permanent Liverpool player but still hasn’t played a game for the club. He joined the Reds as an 18-year-old, but couldn’t get a work permit and was sent on loan to Spanish Segunda Division B side Real Mallorca for 18 months.

Arroyo, who can also play at right-back, has been on seven loan spells since then, making over 100 appearances for various clubs. His most recent temporary stint away from Anfield was during the second half of the 2023/24 season, as he scored one goal in 15 appearances for Segunda Division side Burgos CF.

Last year, Liverpool.com claimed that Arroyo could earn a work permit by playing in La Liga or by breaking into the Colombian national team. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, he has yet to fulfill either criterion.

New regulations brought in last summer meant that clubs can employ a select number of players through Elite Significant Contribution permits – effectively meaning that players who were eligible for permits before the UK’s post-Brexit Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria was brought in would be able to be registered.

It appears, however, that Arroyo has not gained enough points to qualify for an ESC exemption, meaning he looks set to spend another season away from Liverpool before his contract expires. This Is Anfield claims the Reds are expected to seek a sale this summer, potentially their final opportunity to cash in on the defender.