Lengthy Liverpool association comes to an end for former Blackpool FC and Swansea City loanee

Rhys Williams has become a free agent - with the ex-Blackpool loanee’s long association with Liverpool coming to an end.

The defender is a product of the Reds’ youth academy, having first joined the club as a nine-year-old all the way back in 2011.

After working his way up through the various ranks on Merseyside, he was handed his senior debut in 2020, a few months after completing a loan spell with Kidderminster Harriers in National League North.

Due to an injury crisis towards the back end of that campaign, Williams was required to play more regularly under Jurgen Klopp, making a total of nine appearances in the Premier League that term.

Further loan spells came the 25-year-old’s way in the years after, including a stint at Bloomfield Road.

In the first half of the 2022/23 season, he featured 17 times for the Seasiders, but was recalled to Anfield in the January after losing his place.

Prior to his move to the Fylde Coast, it had been a similar story for the defender at Swansea City, with his time in Wales cut short after only seven outings.

After his stint with Blackpool, Williams was later sent out to Aberdeen, Port Vale and Morecambe, but none of those moves created a pathway back into the Liverpool team.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the centre back would depart the Reds following the conclusion of his contract next month, with his last senior outing for the club coming back in 2021.

Sharing the news on social media, he wrote: "From signing as a nine-year-old boy, to leaving as a 25-year-old man. This club has let me fulfil things that dreams are made of.

"It's been an honour to wear this shirt, rub shoulders with legends and play for the greatest set of fans in the world.

"Thank you to all the players, staff and everyone who's had a part to play along the way.

"I will be forever grateful to have represented this club. Thank you, Liverpool. YNWA."

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