Liverpool are expected to make the decision to sell out-of-favour centre-back Rhys Williams in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.
The Lowdown: Not future for Williams
The 22-year-old has struggled to force his way into the Reds’ plans on a consistent basis, with his best run in the team coming towards the end of the 2020/21 season.
During that period, he and Nat Phillips filled in admirably in the absence of the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, who were all injured, making seven starts in the Premier League.
Williams was out on loan at Championship side Blackpool during the first half of this season, making 17 league appearances, and it seems clear that he has no real future at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.
Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez and Ibrahima Konate are all superior options to him, while another centre-back may well arrive in the summer.
For that reason, an exit for Williams looks set to be on the cards and an important update has now emerged regarding the Englishman’s future.
The Latest: Summer exit expected
According to Football Insider, the Liverpool youngster’s days at Anfield look numbered, with the club ‘planning to sell’ him permanently this summer.
It is noted that ‘second-tier sides are interested in signing him in the off-season’, seeing him as a strong defensive option to bring in.
The Verdict: Right time to leave
There is no doubt that this summer looks like the perfect time for Liverpool to cash in on Williams and bring an end to his time at the club, as is also the case with Phillips.
The two-cap England Under-21 international isn’t out of contract on Merseyside until 2026, putting the Reds in a strong bargaining position, and given his long-term potential, they could get a nice amount of money for his services.
Williams certainly isn’t a bad player by any means – Klopp himself called his aforementioned efforts in 2020/21 ‘absolutely insane’ – but the standard required to be a success at Liverpool is high and it doesn’t look like he will ever reach that level.
He can still forge an impressive career for himself, however, becoming a key figure for a Championship club and maturing as a player in the coming years.
Williams should improve both physically and in terms of experience, and the fact that he is at Liverpool currently says a lot about what he is capable of achieving.
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