Marcelo Pitaluga Loan Deal Terminated Early

Marcelo Pitaluga Loan Deal Terminated Early

One of Liverpool’s brightest Academy starlets has been sent home early after a difficult opening to his loan deal. Marcelo Pitaluga joined St. Patrick’s Athletic of the Irish Premier Division in January, with the loan expected to go through the end of the season in November.

Things did not go as planned, unfortunately. Pitaluga was handed the starting gloves over the opening four matches of the season, but an error-filled performance against Waterford saw him relegated to the bench in favor of the experienced Danny Rogers. He only made one more appearance for St. Patrick’s Athletic after that match, appearing in a cup match.

Along with struggles on the pitch, Pitaluga saw a new manager take over St. Patrick’s Athletic in May. Stephen Kenny replaced the embattled Jon Daly, with Kenny deciding to end the loan deals of Pitaluga and two other players. Stephen Kenny wished Pitaluga well as the goalkeeper was sent back to Liverpool.

“We said goodbye to Marcelo, a great guy and a good career ahead of him, I think.”

This was Pitaluga’s second difficult loan spell in a row. The young Brazilian was playing well for Macclesfield in the English 8th division before sustaining an ankle injury that would see him sideline for 3 months. He will now return to Liverpool with an eye to impressing new manager Arne Slot. Pitaluga was a regular fixture in first team training under Jürgen Klopp and is likely to be included as part of the senior team preseason preparations in Slot’s first turn in charge.