Rhys Williams has signed a new contract with Liverpool.
The young centre back spent last season on loan in English football’s sixth tier at Kidderminster Harriers.
He made 26 appearances in the National League North for Kiddy, and was noted for his maturity during games, despite being only 19.
Manager Russell Penn was sceptical when the youngster first arrived in the Midlands, but by the time he’d left the Harriers and the National League the plan to toughen him up clearly worked.
The Echo reported that Penn said:
"“He came in, looking the part, and you’re thinking oh my God, he’s Virgil van Dijk in disguise!“He’s baby-faced, talks like a baby and everything, but I tell you what. He dived straight into it, rented a house with four other lads and was a really big part of the club straight away.”"
Kidderminster kept in constant contact with Liverpool, sending recordings and mimicking the same weights training programme as he would be on at Liverpool.
Although they eventually finished 16th in the National League North, Kiddy had a better defensive record than Kings Lynn who finished as runners-up. Rhys Williams was a key contributor to this.
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He really impressed everyone around the club, and Rush The Kop spoke to some key figures around the Harriers to learn more about his time there. They called him ‘classy’ and predicted a ‘tremendous future’ for the player.
He’s been capped by England at Under-18 level as well as featuring heavily in Liverpool’s FA Youth Cup win in 2019 after joining as a ten year old.
The Liverpool website suggests he is expected to join Kirkby as part of Barry Lewtas’s Under-23 squad, whilst being close to the first-team squad and learning from the perfect professionals in Virgil van Dijk and co.
The likelihood of the Englishman getting minutes – unless there is another FA Cup situation like there was this season – is very low, with Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Nat Phillips, Fabinho and potentially a new centre back arriving at the club all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Billy Koumetio is also ahead of him after his excellent pre-season so far.
It’s clear to see Jurgen Klopp and his staff rate Williams by awarding him this long-term contract – whether he will have another loan spell or spend a season in academy football remains to be seen.
He has a very bright future.