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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Theo Squires

Liverpool defender set for exit and could follow former team-mate to new club

Rhys Williams is expected to leave Liverpool on loan once again this summer.

The ECHO understands that a number of clubs are interested in the 22-year-old, but Aberdeen are currently leading the race for his signature.

Liverpool boast strong relations with the Scottish Premiership outfit, having been impressed with how easy they were to deal with last summer when negotiating the transfer of Calvin Ramsay to Anfield. Meanwhile, both clubs were pleased with the success of Leighton Clarkson’s loan move to the Dons last season.

Clarkson has since joined Aberdeen on a permanent basis, and Williams could now follow in his former team-mate’s footsteps to Pittodrie.

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Williams memorably broke into the Liverpool team during the 2020/21 season, making 19 appearances after all of Jurgen Klopp’s senior centre-backs were struck down by injury as he helped the Reds qualify for the Champions League against the odds.

Since then, he has endured mixed fortunes out on loan in the Championship. Loaned to Swansea City in August 2021, he was recalled by Liverpool the following January after making seven appearances. A temporary switch to Blackpool followed last summer, with the centre-back making 17 appearances before again being recalled mid-season ahead of an expected exit for Nat Phillips that failed to materialise.

The 22-year-old would be included in three matchday squads by Klopp during the second half of last season, including Liverpool's 1-0 loss to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, but would be left as an unused substitute on each occasion.

Williams is under contract at Anfield until 2026 after extending his deal two years ago. Should he indeed join Aberdeen, he’ll be hoping for better fortunes on loan north of the border as he looks to replicate Clarkson’s success of last season.

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