| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James William McConnell[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2004-09-13)13 September 2004 (age 21) | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle upon Tyne, England[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ajax (on loan fromLiverpool) | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Sunderland | ||
| 2019–2023 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Liverpool | 3 | (0) |
| 2025– | →Ajax (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025– | England U20 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:37, 26 October 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:15, 23 March 2025 (UTC) | |||
James William McConnell (born 13 September 2004) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forEredivisie clubAjax, on loan fromPremier League clubLiverpool.
McConnell joinedLiverpool fromSunderland at U15 level. By the 2021–22 season, he had starting playing regularly for the Liverpool U18 side, having first started playing for them at 16 years-of-age.[4] He signed a professional contract with the club shortly after his seventeenth birthday.[5] This was extended in October 2022, as he agreed a long-term professional contract with Liverpool.[6]
He was included in Liverpool's 27-man squad to tourSingapore in July 2023.[7] He was singled out for praise fromJürgen Klopp for his efforts in Singapore,[8] as well as being praised by former players and journalists.[9][10] He was included in a Liverpool first team match day squad for the first time on 12 August 2023, named as a substitute in thePremier League againstChelsea.[11] He made his senior debut for Liverpool in a 5–1UEFA Europa League victory overToulouse atAnfield on 26 October 2023.[12] He made his Premier League debut on 12 November 2023, appearing as a late substitute forDominik Szoboszlai, in a 3–0 home win overBrentford.[13]
McConnell made his first start for Liverpool in theFA Cup fourth round match againstNorwich City at Anfield on 28 January 2024, contributing an assist forCurtis Jones' first goal in an eventual 5–2 victory.[14]
He made an appearance from the bench as Liverpool won the2024 EFL Cup final 1–0 againstChelsea atWembley Stadium on 25 February 2024.[15]
He was included in the Liverpool starting XI for theUEFA Champions League match againstPSV Eindhoven on 29 January 2025.[16][17]
On 29 August 2025, he signed a new five year contract with the club and was loaned toAjax for the season.[18]
On 21 March 2025, McConnell debuted for theEngland U20s during a 1–1 draw withPortugal.[19]
Initially an attacking midfielder, McConnell adapted his game to play as a holding midfield player under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp andPep Lijnders following the departures ofJordan Henderson andFabinho from Liverpool in the summer of 2023.[20]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool U21 | 2022–23[21] | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2023–24[22] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||||||
| Liverpool | 2023–24[22] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| 2024–25[23] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Ajax (loan) | 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Career total | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
Liverpool
