Liverpool loanee reiterates 'message' to Arne Slot after preseason promise

Luca Stephenson, who signed a new contract with Liverpool before rejoining Dundee United on loan last summer, continues to impress north of the border

Liverpool loanee Luca Stephenson(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Liverpool loanee Luca Stephenson has been making quite the impression in the Scottish Premiership, and he has just been named Dundee United's player of the month for January.

Stephenson, whose impressive loan spell north of the border last season prompted Dundee United to bring him back for a second successive season, has been on Liverpool's books since 2018 but he is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Reds.

The 22-year-old is, though, a first-team regular for Dundee United, with his versatility seeing him play in a host of positions for the Scottish club this term.

Stephenson's player-of-the-month award is a sign that he is doing exactly what Arne Slot told him to do upon his decision to return to Dundee United last summer.

Speaking last September, Stephenson said: "I spoke to him (Slot) over the summer while we were away, and he watched an awful lot of me last year, whether it was live games on the telly or through clips, and I think he enjoyed how I came on.

" I think he's seen another improvement from me when I came back into pre-season, so the message from him was quite clear – to go and do the same again, step up another level if it's possible.

"It's sometimes a bit of an eye-opener when you play with players of that quality. I thought I had a really good season up here last year, and then you go back there (to Liverpool) and you see there's other levels to the game.

"I was away in Asia for a couple of weeks with Liverpool pre-season, so I paid no attention to anything really, and the minute I was told I could get myself back out on loan again, it all happened in a couple of days really. My thoughts didn't go anywhere else except for Dundee United."

Stephenson signed a new contract with Liverpool last year before returning to Scotland.

It was speculated earlier this season that Liverpool could look to recall Stephenson due to his performances for his loan club, but Stephenson said in November: “I want to stick around for the full season here.

“It doesn’t matter how well I’m doing or how well I did last season, when I join a club, I commit to a full season.

“I almost try and forget about being a Liverpool player a little bit. I’m a Dundee United player and that’s my only concern.”