A former Liverpool defender is currently on trial with League One side Burton Albion after leaving Anfield at the end of last season
Liverpool are currently in the United States for their 2026 pre-season tour, using the trip to build fitness and cohesion ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Andoni Iraola has overseen training sessions in Chicago as part of the tour, with the squad using the trip to fine-tune their preparations under the new head coach.
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The tour comes at a busy time for the club off the pitch, with Iraola also fielding questions on squad depth and personnel across multiple positions.
Several fringe and departing players have had their futures decided or clarified during this period, separate from the work being done with the first-team group in the States.
Among those dealing with a change in circumstances is Rhys Williams, a product of Liverpool’s academy whose contract with the club expired at the end of June. His situation has developed largely away from the club’s pre-season plans.
Williams has spent recent weeks trying to secure his next move, taking in a trial in Major League Soccer before returning to England.
Williams is on trial with Burton Albion of League One, according to AM NewYork. The move comes after his trial with MLS side Red Bull New York ended without a contract.
Williams spent roughly two weeks training with Red Bull New York during the World Cup break. He was last seen at the club’s Morristown, NJ facility on July 7, before returning to England with Burton Albion.
According to the report, Williams “just wasn’t a fit at this time.” The 25-year-old was with Red Bull New York when his contract with Liverpool expired on June 30, ending his long association with the club.
Red Bull New York head coach Michael Bradley spoke about Williams’ time with the club earlier this month. “We’ve enjoyed having him fit in in a really good way,” he said.
Bradley said the club is still working through broader roster decisions. “We’re still trying to piece everything together. Not just in Rhys’ case, but from a bigger picture perspective in terms of how we use the summer window, where we are in terms of salary cap and international spot,” he said.
He added that Williams had made a positive impression during his time in New York. “He’s made training better, and so we’ll continue to see how things evolve over the next period,” Bradley said.
Williams made his Liverpool first-team debut in the 2020-21 season under then-manager Jurgen Klopp and was part of Liverpool’s FA Youth Cup-winning squad in 2019.
As injuries struck in defence, he played in 19 matches during the 2020-21 campaign to help the Reds clinch Champions League qualification with a third-placed finish in the Premier League.
The centre-back has spent the past five years mostly out on loan. His spells have taken him to Kidderminster Harriers, Swansea City, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Port Vale and Morecambe.
Burton Albion
rhys williams