Jon Flanagan has been handed the decision as to whether he wants to spend the coming season at Liverpool or on loan at Burnley.
The full-back was left out of the squad for their 2-0 pre-season win at Huddersfield Town on Wednesday night, as Marko Grujic's first-half strike and a late penalty from Alberto Moreno gave the Reds their fourth win from four friendlies.
Jürgen Klopp has given Flanagan the chance to make up his own mind as to whether he wants to spend the season on loan with the newly-promoted Clarets, despite turning down an offer from Celtic recently.
The Academy graduate featured in all three of the club's first three friendlies, after making just appearances last term on the way back from a severe knee injury that sidelined him from June 2014 until January 2016.
It's believed Klopp thinks the 23-year-old could benefit from a temporary spell with Burnley, where he would play regular football for the first time since the second-half of the 2013-14 campaign.
Defender potentially off to Premier League new boys
However, any move away from Merseyside would not spell the end of Flanagan's career at Liverpool.
The player himself insisted he wishes to remain a one-club man back in March, but Klopp sees a place for him in his first-team plans long-term even if he goes out to Turf Moor.
Regardless, Nathaniel Clyne remains the German's uncontested first-choice right-back ahead of the 2016-17 season and though Liverpool are relatively light on cover at full-back, their lack of European football will take its toll on Flanagan's appearance total.
It was mooted that he could be an option to compete with left-back Alberto Moreno, whose inconsistency last season was a source of frustration for supporters, with the Scouse defender having thrived in the same position three seasons ago before his injury nightmare.
However, Klopp is now said to view more regular minutes as the best way for Flanagan to develop and get back to the levels that allowed him to win a maiden cap for England before the 2014 World Cup.
Back-up 'keeper Bogdan seals temporary Wigan move
Earlier on Wednesday, Adam Bogdan sealed a season-long loan to Wigan Athletic in the Championship.
The back-up goalkeeper made just six first-team appearances last term, making two high-profile errors which ultimately cost him his place as Simon Mignolet's deputy.
He follows the Reds' other fall-back options between the sticks, Danny Ward and Ryan Fulton, in leaving on loan for the 2016-17 season with Mignolet and summer signing Loris Karius - who has appeared in all four warm-up matches - Klopp's current options.
Cameron Brannagan and Joel Matip were also absent from the Reds' win at Huddersfield, but both will re-join the squad for their tour of the United States. The team fly out in the early hours of Thursday.
Young midfielder Brannagan's Wigan loan move off
Brannagan, who missed out with a tight hamstring, was in line for a loan switch to Wigan earlier this week until a clause about playing time threatened to scupper any deal.
The Championship outfit, who fell 2-0 to Liverpool themselves on Sunday, had their advances rejected earlier this month for the highly-rated midfielder.
Then, they had demonstrated a willingness to pay as much as £1 million to bring the 20-year-old in on a permanent basis - only to be told that Klopp planned to bring him more regularly into the fold in 2016-17.
But after talks between Wigan boss Gary Caldwell and Klopp in the aftermath of Sunday's friendly at the DW Stadium, the Latics submitted a follow-up offer.
However, with Liverpool insistent that Brannagan must appear in at least three quarters of their games.
Wigan - who will start next season in the Championship after strolling to the League One title last term - could not guarantee that and as such look unlikely to seal a deal.
Liverpool are looking to insert the 75 per-cent clause in all of their future loan deals, given changes to the rules which indicate players cannot go on emergency one-month loans or be called back at any time.
Football League rules ensure that clubs are unable to demand that loanees start matches, but Liverpool have looked to include financial punishments should players not make a certain amount of appearances.
That means the club are looking to secure the best possible places for their youngsters to continue their respective developments, with interest also thought to be high in winger Ryan Kent.
19-year-old Kent, who spent time last season at Coventry City before being recalled and handed his senior Reds debut under Klopp in the FA Cup, has attracted interest from Barnsley, Bristol City and MK Dons among four other clubs.
With an abundance of attacking options at the manager's disposal, the England U20 international is likely to be sent out to progress at a Football League club for the forthcoming campaign.