Cameron Brannagan's January loan move on hold after Liverpool midfielder's injury setback

Liverpool midfielder Cameron Brannagan's loan move in January is on hold after the academy graduate suffered an injury during training. He was set for a short spell away from Anfield in the second half of the season.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the 20-year-old kicked the turf while taking a shot that led to an ankle ligament injury. He underwent a scan and that confirmed a grade two sprain, which will see him spend the next three to four weeks on the sidelines.

Brannagan, who made nine appearances for Liverpool's first team in the last campaign, has failed to make his way to the match day squad this season. The arrival of summer signings Georginio Wijnaldum and Marko Grujic has seen him drop further down the pecking order.

However, he has been a regular inclusion in the Reds' Under-23s. Jurgen Klopp was open to the idea of allowing the Salford-born midfielder to leave Anfield, which would have seen him complete a loan move in January.

The Reds academy graduate was set to join League One side Bolton Wanderers on loan in January in order to help them achieve promotion. They are third in the table with 46 points after 23 games, two points behind leaders Scunthorpe United.

Liverpool will keep Brannagan at the club and help him with his recovery, which has forced any loan move on hold. He could recover on time at the end of the mid-season January transfer window.

Should he fail to secure a loan move, it will be for the second time in two transfer windows that Brannagan has not been successful in completing a temporary move. Last summer, he was set to join Wigan Athletic.However, the Latics decided against taking the player on loan due to the Merseyside club's demand that Brannagan played in 75% of their matches.