Liverpool goalkeeper makes return as competition for places becomes clear

Academy goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek has returned to Liverpool after his loan spell in Sweden ended. Mrozek, who was on the bench six times for the Reds' first team last season, has spent four months with Swedish top-flight side Brommapojkarna.

The Allsvenskan concluded earlier this month with Brommapojkarna having earned their highest-ever finish of 10th.

Mrozek was brought into the club midway through the campaign in late July in response to a goalkeeper injury crisis and made five appearances immediately after his arrival, the Pole's first outings as a senior professional.

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But the 21-year-old was restricted to bench duty since the start of September and will now not be kept on by Brommapojkarna.

"He will stay in Liverpool," their sports director, Philip Berglund, told Swedish news outlet FotbollDirekt. "We got into a situation with a bit of injuries and stuff this summer when he came and the initial plan has always been for him to go back to Liverpool after the season. Nothing has changed there.

"It's not easy to break through there (at Liverpool) and getting playing time as a young goalkeeper is extremely difficult. He probably got five games here during the autumn and it has been good for both parties."

Mrozek, who featured prominently in Premier League 2 for Liverpool last season, will now rejoin the under-21 set-up at the AXA Training Centre where there is a strong competition for places.

Harvey Davies was the goalkeeper in the EFL Trophy, while 17-year-old Kornel Misciur has been the more regular between the sticks in Premier League 2 while also eligible to thus far start every game in the UEFA Youth League.

Another 17-year-old goalkeeper, Bailey Hall, has also featured for the U21s this season while 21-year-old Jakub Ojrzynski, who saw a loan move fall through in the summer, has been training but not yet played a minute this campaign.