BURTON, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Liverpool's Oakley Cannonier during the pre-match warm-up before 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 Oakley Cannonier during the pre-match warm-up before 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)
Oakley Cannonier has left Liverpool after 11 years, with the striker issuing a statement upon his exit hinting at his frustration working under certain coaches.
Cannonier was named among nine academy players to be released from their contracts this summer, having already confirmed his departure himself months prior.
The 22-year-old is yet to announce his next move but had been close to rejoining boyhood club Leeds in January last year, which could feasibly be rekindled.
A month after officially becoming a free agent, Cannonier has now paid tribute to Liverpool and the players he shared the pitch with since 2015 – but made a point to only thank “SOME of the staff.”
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Liverpool FC for the last 10 years,” he wrote on Instagram.
“To all the players and SOME of the staff I’ve had the privilege of working with. The memories, experiences and friendships I’ve made will stay with me forever.
“This club has played a huge part in my journey, both as a player and as a person, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
“Even though I never got to make my debut at Anfield at least I’m in a little bit of history of this amazing club! YNWA”
That “little bit of history” saw Cannonier’s sharp thinking as ball boy help Trent Alexander-Arnold in his quickly taken corner for Divock Origi‘s goal against Barcelona in 2019.
Cannonier scored 34 goals in the 2021/22 campaign as he broke through with the U18s, but saw injury problems plague him in the following two seasons.
But after returning to full fitness, he found himself dropping down the pecking order, telling The Athletic‘s Jordan Campbell in February: “I have been fit for two years and the manager has picked other players.”
With the likes of Jayden Danns, Lewis Koumas and 2025 signing Will Wright prioritised, Cannonier only made five appearances in 2024/25 and none at all in the campaign just gone.
Oakley Cannonier: “It’s been pretty crap”
BURTON, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Liverpool's Oakley Cannonier before 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 Oakley Cannonier before 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)
“I will leave at the end of the season and am just looking for regular games. With my age, that is all I want to be doing,” he explained.
“The last 18 months have been really difficult with no games to look forward to.
“You train all week and then there is nothing at the end of it. It’s been pretty crap.”
While it would be wrong to speculate on the identity of those coaches who sparked Cannonier’s ire, the situation was effectively unchanged with a handover in the U21s dugout from Barry Lewtas to Rob Page last summer.
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