LONDON, ENGLAND - Friday, October 3, 2025: Liverpool's Rhys Williams during the pre-match warm-up before the Premier League 2 match between Fulham FC Under-21's and Liverpool FC Under-21's at Motspur Park. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LONDON, ENGLAND - Friday, October 3, 2025: Liverpool's Rhys Williams during the pre-match warm-up before the Premier League 2 match between Fulham FC Under-21's and Liverpool FC Under-21's at Motspur Park. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With Rhys Williams to officially leave Liverpool at the end of June, he is currently on trial with MLS team New York Red Bulls.
Williams has had one of the stranger Liverpool careers.
Now 25 years old, the defender has been at Liverpool since U10 level, signed his first professional contract in 2019 and, for a brief period, he became something of a cult hero.
He leaves, though, having not played for the first team in more than five years.
BURTON, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Liverpool's captain Rhys Williams during the English Football League Trophy Northern Group H match between Burton Albion FC and Liverpool FC Under-21's at The Burton Albion FC Stadium. Burton won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
BURTON, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Liverpool's captain Rhys Williams during the English Football League Trophy Northern Group H match between Burton Albion FC and Liverpool FC Under-21's at The Burton Albion FC Stadium. Burton won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
After spending this season training at the academy, his five-year contract, which he was awarded in 2021, is now expiring.
As a result, Williams has been looking for a new club and has potentially found a home in the US.
The Athletic report that Williams is currently on trial at MLS side New York Red Bulls, who sit fifth in the Eastern Conference.
The team’s manager, Michael Bradley, said of the defender: “Rhys has made a really positive impression.
“We’ll continue to evaluate over the next period how to make our team better in any way.”
It is worth remembering that Jurgen Klopp, for whom Williams made his name in the 2020/21 season, is Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 23, 2025: Liverpool substitutes Rhys Williams' and Kieron Morrison during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 23, 2025: Liverpool substitutes Rhys Williams' and Kieron Morrison during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
We don’t actually know this, but it would be reasonable to guess that the coach knew of or even helped give his former player the opportunity.
Of course, a trial doesn’t mean that Williams will definitely sign for New York Red Bulls, but it gives him a good chance.
Also in the squad is the excellent ex-RB Leipzig attacking midfielder, Emil Forsberg, and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who played for Stoke, PSG and Bayern Munich.
How did Rhys Williams reach this point?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 23, 2021: Liverpool Rhys Williams applauds the supporters on a lap of honour after the final FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-0 and finished 3rd in the table. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 23, 2021: Liverpool Rhys Williams applauds the supporters on a lap of honour after the final FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-0 and finished 3rd in the table. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With Liverpool suffering an injury crisis of epic proportions during the 2020/21 campaign, Klopp had consistently asked Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to fill in at the back.
In January, the Reds signed Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies to help cover the position, but the latter didn’t play once and Kabak suffered an injury towards the end of the season.
This left Klopp with academy players Williams and Nat Phillips, who stepped in to do an admirable job in helping Liverpool qualify for the Champions League.
That summer, Virgil van Dijk recovered from injury and Ibrahima Konate signed for £35 million, so Williams was sent out on loan to Swansea where he started just four Championship matches.
The next season saw him spend six months at Blackpool, but he was recalled early due to a lack of game time.
2JJCXF3 Blackpool's Rhys Williams during a pre-season friendly match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool. Picture date: Sunday July 24, 2022.
2JJCXF3 Blackpool's Rhys Williams during a pre-season friendly match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool. Picture date: Sunday July 24, 2022.
Another unsuccessful loan spell followed, as injury problems meant he didn’t make a single first-team appearance for Aberdeen before returning to Merseyside in January.
He then agreed to go to Port Vale, but after just two weeks he once again came back to Liverpool because his loan club said he had an ‘underlying injury issue’.
Thankfully, Williams finally then got a full season under his belt as he started 37 matches for Morecambe as they finished bottom of the fourth division.
Liverpool made the decision to keep him around for his final season and he even made the bench in the Reds’ 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton.
He leaves now with our best wishes.
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