Defender Tiago Ilori has sealed a season-long loan at Aston Villa to become Liverpool's 17th loan departure of the summer transfer window, it has been officially confirmed.
The deal was given a couple of extra hours beyond the 6pm deadline on Tuesday evening and the Portugal U21 international completed a medical at Villa's training ground before the paperwork was finalised.
Ilori's switch includes a £1 million loan fee, whilst the Midlands club also have an option included in the deal to buy the defender permanently next summer - for a fee between £6 million or £9 million depending on the number of appearances he makes.
Ilori not guaranteed minutes under Tim Sherwood
The 22-year-old has yet to play a single minute for the Merseyside club since a £7 million switch from Sporting Clube de Portugal in the summer of 2013.
His development has not been helped by niggling injuries, which severely impacted his six-month loan spell at Granada CF before his season-long loan with FC Girondins de Bordeaux - as he made just a combined total of 21 appearances, scoring one goal.
The Hampstead-born defender has been sent out to Villa Park in order to gain Premier League game-time, but with the Villans having brought in Joleon Lescott at the end of the window - he will also have Nathan Baker, Ciaran Clark, captain Micah Richards, Jores Okore and Phillipe Senderos to compete with for a spot in the heart of defence.
Ilori also becomes the club's fifth defensive signing this summer, following Richards, Lescott, Jordan Amavi and Jose Angel Crespo through the doors - and is unlikely to return to Merseyside upon the expiration of his loan.
Ilori may not have Liverpool future
He turned down a temporary move to Sunderland earlier in the day, with the centre-half keen on making his way into Brendan Rodgers' first-team, but has accepted that he would be fifth-choice at the Reds, behind first-choice partnership Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren and back-up duo Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure.
Ilori's departure means that 13 of the 25 players brought into the club between 2012 and 2014 have now left the club on a permanent transfer or are currently out on loan - with many of those out on loan aware that they don't have a future at the club.
The centre-half could make his debut after the international break, when Villa - who are still looking for their first win of the season - travel to high-flying Leicester City.
The Reds were otherwise quiet on deadline day, Jose Enrique failed to complete a move to West Bromwich Albion and therefore remains a Liverpool player, insisting that he wants to fight for his place with the club after deleting his Twitter and Instagram accounts.