A Liverpool player who had been out on loan has now officially returned to Merseyside after his temporary move away from Anfield was ended early.
James Balagizi joined National League side Forest Green Rovers on a season-long loan last August, but the midfielder featured just 10 times for Robbie Savage’s team before a hamstring injury disrupted his campaign.
According to The Athletic, the 22-year-old had been completing his rehabilitation back at Liverpool in recent weeks, with his last outing for the Gloucestershire club coming in their FA Cup defeat to Luton on Halloween.
Forest Green announce Balagizi’s return
On Tuesday afternoon, Forest Green confirmed through their website and social media platforms that Balagizi has gone back to Liverpool following the cancellation of his loan.
The club said in a post on X:
“We can confirm that James Balagizi has returned to Liverpool. The 22-year-old made 10 appearances for Rovers this season and scored a late equaliser against Scunthorpe United. We thank James for his efforts and wish him every success in the future.”
What lies ahead for Balagizi?
Balagizi had impressed as a teenager with eye-catching displays in Liverpool’s academy and during a loan spell at Crawley in 2022, when then-manager Kevin Betsy predicted he was destined for a “fantastic career” (Liverpool Echo).
However, this marks the third time his planned season-long loan has been cut short in January, and at 22, he is now at a stage where consistency and stability are becoming increasingly important.
The contract he signed with Liverpool in the summer of 2023 has only six months left to run, making it increasingly likely he will leave the club on a free transfer in the summer.
He never made a competitive first-team appearance for Liverpool, although he was named on the bench twice in domestic cup matches during the 2021/22 season (Transfermarkt).
There remains a chance he could secure another short-term loan for the rest of the campaign, and a successful spell could pave the way for a permanent move. For now, however, his future remains uncertain.
Hopefully, Balagizi can make a full recovery from the hamstring problem that cut his time at Forest Green short, and while a breakthrough at Liverpool now looks unlikely, there is still hope that he can build a successful career elsewhere.
