At last…” – Liverpool prospect celebrates emotional return after long injury nightmare

 

 

A low-key under-21s friendly against Wrexham on Tuesday proved hugely important for one young Liverpool prospect, marking a defining moment in his early career.

Almost a year ago to the day, Calum Scanlon’s season-long loan at Millwall was derailed by a serious hamstring injury that ruled him out for the rest of 2025. It came just as he had returned from four months on the sidelines with a stress fracture in his back, making the blow even more crushing.

Luck has certainly not been on the 20-year-old’s side, but he finally made his long-awaited return this week, playing the opening half of a 1-1 draw in that friendly, with former Red Conor Coady featuring for Wrexham. After stepping back onto the pitch for the first time in almost a year, Scanlon shared his joy on Instagram, celebrating the end of a brutal injury spell.

It’s hard to overstate what Tuesday’s match would have meant to the young left-back. Even if it doesn’t count as an official appearance, for him it represents a fresh start — the first real step toward getting his career back on track.

He will need time and regular minutes to regain full sharpness, but the hope is that he can now feature consistently for Rob Page’s under-21s in Premier League 2 over the coming weeks and months.

Scanlon turns 21 next month and will be eager to begin carving out a senior career in 2026. If he can stay fit and rediscover the promise he showed as a teenager, interest from other clubs in a potential summer loan is likely.

Jurgen Klopp once rated him highly enough to hand him a couple of Europa League appearances two seasons ago. While more first-team action remains some distance away, it’s a realistic ambition for the year ahead if fortune finally smiles on him.

It’s wonderful to see Scanlon back in action, and hopefully the injury troubles that stalled his progress are now firmly behind him.