Liverpool youngster Luke Chambers is set to join League One Wigan Athletic on loan until the end of the season, with Shaun Maloney’s side beating a number of Championship clubs to the signing of the left back.
Chambers, 19, excelled on loan at Kilmarnock last season and even turned down a call-up to England’s Under 20s to stay and help the Scottish club’s fight for survival. That earned him rave reviews from boss Derek McIness, who said he was a ‘diamond’ in an interview with Mail Sport.
The youngster has played several times for the first team this season, including two starts in the Europa League, and has often been an unused substitute. It was hoped he might get some more minutes with both Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas out injured.
In a chat with Mail Sport Chambers after his first start for the club in October, Kilmarnock boss McIness said: ‘I’ve worked with a lot of loan players and none have made a bigger impact than Luke. What a diamond of a boy he is, Liverpool are lucky to have him.
Liverpool have sent ‘diamond of a boy’ Luke Chambers on loan to Wigan Athletic despite their left-back crisis
Owen Beck has been recalled from his loan at Dundee as he is seen as more ready for first-team football
‘The more important the game, the better he became and more maturity he showed. He handled all the pressure brilliantly. In the modern game now players have far too many distractions and influences – social media, agents, girlfriends – but Luke is a throwback.
‘He did everything 100 per cent right, worked his socks off. But moreover he is a great lad, our boys loved him and he’s still in the group chat. He immersed himself in the cause for us and we are very grateful.
‘We get a lot of players coming from England on loan and some of them have an ego, they come in like they’re doing us a favour. It was never that with Luke, he was so appreciative of the opportunity. Him and his family loved it here. Luke was a huge hit with the fans.
Top left-back Andy Robertson is out with a shoulder injury and his already missed 20 games
Kostas Tsimikas is also on the sidelines in another blow for Jurgen Klopp’s full-back situation
‘I’m delighted to have helped him, he will have a good career at Liverpool or anywhere. He is the first defender ever to ask for an assist clause in his contract! That shows what sort of player he is, he loves getting forward like Liverpool’s full backs do.
‘He grew up as a man, too. The boys host Come Dine With Me events where they take it in turns to cook for each other and he was going to all of them, hosting some nights too. The senior players all took to him. Luke was a wee bit shy at the start but got better at his cooking!’
