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Typically, when Liverpool have a wonderkid on their books, it's a player fans can catch glimpses of here and there in youth academy games, perhaps a loan spell in a lower English league, or even the substitutes bench of a Cup matchday squad. In Allan Rodrigues de Souza, however, Liverpool fans basically have a unicorn. In theory, this is an incredible talent, who will be wonderful to look at while he dovetails with the growing Brazilian contingent on Merseyside. But how many of us are actually watching the Finnish league?
No fear, folks, for Allan's extremely successful loan spell--dude literally won silver--at SIK is up, and it looks like he impressed enough that his next spell will be up a level, to the Swiss Super League. That may not seem like too heady of a step up, but when you consider the regular Champions League and Europa League minutes clubs like FC Zurich, FC Basel, Grasshopper Club Zurich, FC Sion, and BSC Young Boys have gotten over recent times this is most certainly a good next step for young Allan.
For his part, the 18 year old seems rather pragmatic about the whole process:
"I wouldn't be available [for selection] in January because my work visa isn't ready," he reportedly told ESPN Brazil. "So I will be loaned out again.
"I'll be back in the middle of 2016, even more ready and eager to play for Liverpool."
A club like Basel may be a bit to high to set our sights for. In terms of quality coaching and intrasquad competition for Allan, it'd be amazing, but it's difficult to say whether he would really get a steady chance at minutes considering this is a club that is in the thick of qualification for the elimination rounds of Champions League play almost yearly these days. But perhaps Liverpool's Europa League rivals from this season, FC Sion, could be an interesting destination?
With the never ending churn of rumors shipping players like Joe Allen out of Dodge, and stop-start form giving Jürgen Klopp plenty to think about in terms of his playing pieces, Allan may be looking an real opportunity. If he really is as talented as Internacional's youth coaches reckon, perhaps he could come in as a squad option over the next calendar year. But if that is to be the case, wherever the lad ends up next better equal competitive minutes. And perhaps even a little TV time so Redkind could catch a glimpse of this quasi mystical talent coming up through our ranks?