Luca Stephenson
{{Short description|English footballer (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Luca Stephenson
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Luca Stephenson{{Cite web |date=13 September 2023 |title=2023/24 Premier League squad lists |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3681595 |access-date=14 September 2023 |publisher=Premier League}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|9|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Horden, England
| height =
| position = Midfielder, defender
| currentclub = Liverpool
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2018
| youthclubs1 = Sunderland
| youthyears2 = 2018–2023
| youthclubs2 = Liverpool
| years1 = 2023–
| clubs1 = Liverpool
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2023–2024
| clubs2 = → Barrow (loan)
| caps2 = 34
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2024–2025
| clubs3 = → Dundee United (loan)
| caps3 = 31
| goals3 = 3
| club-update = 1 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Luca Stephenson (born 17 September 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or defender for {{english football updater|Liverpoo}} club Liverpool.
Career
=Early career=
Stephenson started his career in Sunderland's academy, before signing for Liverpool in September 2018.{{Cite web |last=Rayner |first=Stuart |date=2 September 2018 |title=Sunderland youngster Luca Stephenson set to join Liverpool |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/sunderland-youngster-luca-stephenson-set-15102333 |access-date=5 September 2023 |website=ChronicleLive}}{{Cite web |title=Luca Stephenson |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/luca-stephenson |access-date=1 August 2024 |publisher=Liverpool F.C.}}
Stephenson captained Liverpool's under-18 team for the 2020–21 season, going on to also captain the under-21 side, becoming a regular with them in the following season.
During his time in Liverpool's academy, Stephenson was versatile, playing at both centre-back and right-back in addition to his natural midfield role.
=Liverpool=
Stephenson signed his first professional contract in September 2020,{{Cite web |date=22 September 2020 |title=Luca Stephenson signs first professional contract with Liverpool FC |url=https://legacy.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/409535-luca-stephenson-signs-first-professional-contract-with-liverpool-fc |access-date=5 September 2023 |publisher=Liverpool F.C.}} with his deal being extended in February 2022.{{Cite web |date=5 February 2022 |title=Luca Stephenson signs new contract with Liverpool FC |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/luca-stephenson-signs-new-contract-liverpool-fc |access-date=5 September 2023 |publisher=Liverpool F.C.}}
==Loan to Barrow==
On 1 September 2023, Stephenson joined EFL League Two club Barrow on a season-long loan.{{Cite web |last=O'Hara |first=Matthew |date=1 September 2023 |title=Barrow AFC complete Deadline Day loan-deal for Liverpool midfielder |url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/23762318.barrow-afc-complete-deadline-day-loan-deal-liverpool-midfielder/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |website=The Mail}}{{Cite web |title=Luca Stephenson makes loan move to Barrow |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/luca-stephenson-makes-loan-move-barrow?amp=1 |access-date=1 August 2024 |publisher=Liverpool F.C.}} On 5 September, he made his professional debut in an EFL Trophy fixture against Blackpool.{{Cite web |title=Barrow Vs. Blackpool - 5 September 2023 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/05/england/football-league-trophy/barrow-afc/blackpool-fc/4183293/ |access-date=1 August 2024 |website=Soccerway}} He later made his professional league debut on 30 September against Doncaster Rovers, coming on as a substitute for Tyrell Warren in the 62nd minute.{{Cite web |title=Barrow Vs. Doncaster Rovers - 30 September 2023 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/30/england/league-two/barrow-afc/doncaster-rovers-fc/4088222/ |access-date=1 August 2024 |website=Soccerway}} On 14 October 2023, Stephenson made his full league debut at right-wing-back as Barrow faced Milton Keynes Dons, being replaced after 46 minutes.{{Cite web |title=MK Dons Vs. Barrow - 14 October 2023 |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/14/england/league-two/milton-keynes-dons-fc/barrow-afc/4088343/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=Soccerway}}
During his time at Barrow, Stephenson was mainly deployed on the right of a back-five, with his hard-working and tough tackling style making him popular amongst fans.{{Cite web |title=Manager facing sack calls as Liverpool loanee subbed 42 minutes into debut |url=https://www.thisisanfield.com/2023/09/manager-facing-sack-calls-as-liverpool-loanee-subbed-42-minutes-into-debut/ |access-date=6 September 2023 |website=This is Anfield|date=6 September 2023 }} He became a regular in a Barrow team that narrowly missed-out on the League Two English Football League play-offs by a single point, one of their best league finishes in a 122-year history.{{Cite web |title=End of season review – Where do Barrow AFC go from here? |url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/24311368.end-season-review---barrow-afc-go/ |access-date=1 August 2023}}
==Loan to Dundee United==
On 15 August 2024, Stephenson signed for newly promoted Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on a season-long loan.{{Cite web |title=Luca Stephenson completes loan switch to Dundee United |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/luca-stephenson-completes-loan-switch-dundee-united |publisher=Liverpool F.C. |date=15 August 2024 |access-date=15 August 2024}} He debuted for the club three days later in a Scottish League Cup match against St Mirren.{{Cite web |title=Dundee United 1–0 St Mirren |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/clyn3rx2p8vt |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 August 2024 |access-date=12 September 2024}} On 24 August, he made his league debut and scored his first professional goal in a 2–0 win over St Johnstone.{{Cite web |title=Dundee United 2–0 St Johnstone |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cp8nzk278nwt |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 August 2024 |access-date=12 September 2024}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 12 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup}} !colspan=2|League cup{{efn|Includes Scottish League Cup}} !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Barrow (loan)
|30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| Dundee United (loan)
|31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| colspan=3|Career total
!61||3||2||0||3||0||0||0||2||0||68||3 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{UEFA player}}
{{Liverpool F.C. squad}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephenson, Luca}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players
Category:Liverpool F.C. players
Category:Barrow A.F.C. players