It was once the decision that usually signalled the end of a fledgling Liverpool career almost before it had even started.
But Conor Bradley will hope he is the latest example of a subtle shift in trend from which the Reds are now starting to reap rewards.
Bradley built on his encouraging cameo from the bench in the FA Cup third round win at Arsenal three days earlier by claiming the man of the match award in the League Cup semi-final first leg triumph over Fulham last Wednesday.
The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international, deputising for Trent Alexander-Arnold in the inverted right-back role, was making only his fifth start for Liverpool, a number that would have been significantly greater but for a back injury that ruled him out of the first four months of the campaign.
But featuring in high-pressure games was nothing new for Bradley having spent the previous season at Bolton Wanderers, who reached the League One play-off semi-finals and claimed the EFL Trophy with a 4-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in front of almost 80,000 at Wembley.
Bradley made 53 appearances for the Trotters – all bar five as a starter – playing primarily as a right wing-back, contributing an impressive seven goals and six assists. His loan spell helped prepare him for being thrown in at the deep end at Liverpool.
While that hasn’t always been the case for the Reds, there is further evidence of the value of temporary moves. Indeed, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah, both of whom have featured regularly this season, became primarily first-team squad members following experience gained at loan spells elsewhere.
What all three also benefited from was consistent action at their respective loan clubs. Elliott played 41 times in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers and was nominated for the Young Player of the Year award won by Michael Olise, then at Reading but now of Crystal Palace. Quansah, meanwhile, spent the second half of last season in the heart of defence for League One side Bristol Rovers.
Getting the right loan move is crucial. Judging what is best fit for a player is a tricky business, and matters don’t always go to plan for a variety of reasons. First-team minutes is the primary concern, without which temporary transfers must be called into question. Last January, Liverpool recalled seven players from their loan moves. This month so far the total is six.
Tyler Morton, impressing at Championship side Hull City after a good previous campaign in the division with Blackburn, will hope he can still follow the path travelled by Elliott in particular.
Loan deals, though, have historically been no guarantee of subsequent progress at Liverpool, even if, as in cases such as Harry Wilson, Neco Williams and Ryan Kent, they can lead to significant transfers elsewhere.
Some of the successes, such as Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge, were already experienced players. But in terms of youngsters, before Elliott there have been only a handful of qualified successes. Jay Spearing, following a period at Leicester City, went on to win the League Cup and appear in an FA Cup final with Liverpool, while Martin Kelly and Jonjo Shelvey moved to other Premier League clubs and Stephen Warnock went on to play for England.
Bradley, then, will aim to echo the steps of some of his younger team-mates and help usher in a new era in more ways than one at Liverpool.
