A team has emerged as a front-runner in the five-team transfer race to sign a highly-rated Liverpool youngster.

Stoke City have made their first move to sign Liverpool's Jayden Danns, who has been linked with a move to Preston North End.

A whole host of Championship clubs have been linked with Danns, including Preston. Football League World reported last week that Blackburn Rovers, Oxford United, and Hull City along with Stoke are keen on the youngster. Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City have recently been attributed with interest, but there are clubs higher in the pecking order than them.

Fraser Fletcher, a transfer reporter for TEAMtalk, said in a post on X that Liverpool are in favour of sending Danns out on loan to the Championship. It’s since emerged from his report that Stoke are now in talks, and they're open to the move, which will help aid his development. Liverpool must now decide whether to progress with Stoke’s interest, or be willing to hear what pitches the other clubs have to offer.

Arne Slot will decide whether Jayden Danns will leave Liverpool this month. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images

placeholder image — Arne Slot will decide whether Jayden Danns will leave Liverpool this month. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Clubs’ transfer chances of signing Jayden Danns

Jayden, son of former Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Neil, is highly thought of at the Anfield. He committed his long-term future to Liverpool back in March 2024.

The 19-year-old was entrusted to come on in the Carabao Cup final last year, and help Liverpool to a trophy in Jurgen Klopp's final season. To date, Danns has got three goals in seven appearances for the first team.

A back injury has hampered his prospects with the senior team this season, ruling him out until November. Arne Slot gave him a run out against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup last season, scoring in the fixture after coming off the bench with 18 minutes to go.

Danns has also played in the EFL Cup, and has been on the bench for their Premier League fixture with West Ham in December. Last week, the Dutchman admitted that Danns was being considered for a role in the first-team, following an injury Diogo Jota, and weighed up whether he would send Danns out.

“You take a lot of things into account if you want to loan out a player, and this could be one of them,” said Slot last Friday.

“But there are also other factors you take into account: is it good for a player to get some playing time? Do we think we still need him?

“We do already have three options for the number nine position. It's not like that we now expect Jota to be out for a long period of time. It will be a struggle to have him on the pitch on Saturday but we are hoping to see him on the pitch in the near future again.”

Calvin Ramsay was a loan player at Preston North End last season. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images

First-team minutes important

With the nine-time England under-18 international seemingly on his way to the Championship, Liverpool will prioritise a club that guarantee him regular first-team football, and could look to how clubs have dealt with their stars of the future before.

The Lilywhites have had a positive relationship with the Merseyside club when it's come to transfers. Despite it not working out, they signed Calvin Ramsay on loan last season, and also took Layton Stewart off their hands.

Stoke have already borrowed one player from Liverpool this season after signing Wales international Lewis Koumas on loan. Koumas has played under various different managers at the bet365 Stadium this term, and has racked up 31 appearances in all competitions.

Blackburn Rovers meanwhile have Owen Beck on a season-long loan. Beck is another player that has been playing regularly, with 19 games under his belt with the Lancashire outfit.