The 25-year-old defender will leave this summer, having made 19 first-team appearances in all competitions. Joining the number of players that are set to leave the Anfield side in the coming days.
Rhys Williams has announced he will be leaving Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of June 2026. The centre-back posted on social media:
"From signing as a nine-year-old boy, to leaving as a 25-year-old man. This club has let me fulfil things that dreams are made of. It's been an honour to wear this shirt, rub shoulders with legends and play for the greatest set of fans in the world.
"Thank you to all the players, staff and everyone who's had a part to play along the way. I will be forever grateful to have represented this club. Thank you, Liverpool. YNWA ❤️."
Liverpool subsequently confirmed on their club website that Williams will be leaving alongside Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah next month.
Liverpool's Starting Duo Next Season
Williams' departure means there will be four centre-backs in the senior squad:
- Virgil van Dijk
- Ibrahima Konaté
- Joe Gomez
- Giovanni Leoni
Jérémy Jacquet will bolster this position when he joins from French side Rennes in July 2026, but both Jacquet and Leoni have suffered long-term injuries this season.
Elsewhere, Ibrahima Konaté has yet to sign a new contract and could walk away on a free transfer come the end of June, with plenty of stories linking the defender with a move to Real Madrid & PSG.
This means Liverpool could dip into the market for more cover in the position and have been heavily linked with Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi. However, the latest reports suggest he could be on the move to Tottenham now their Premier League status is confirmed.
Rhys Williams' Time at Anfield
Williams' career on Merseyside will be remembered for his efforts in the 2020-2021 season, where Jürgen Klopp gave him his debut in the Carabao Cup against Lincoln City.
A defensive injury crisis in 2020 meant Williams had more opportunities for gametime, along with other youth players like Nathaniel Phillips. Regular defenders Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez missed nearly all of the season with injury.
Klopp praised Williams in his programme notes after the then-19-year-old defender's performance in a 2-0 Champions League win against FC Midtylland:
On Tuesday night it was Rhys Williams and wow, what a performance. I love his attitude so much. The right amount of confidence and real courage in his approach. And I mean his all-round approach... There is no pressure or expectation on Rhys from us other than to keep looking to improve and soak up all the information he can and if opportunities arise, due to circumstances, do his best.
Thanks to the efforts of Williams and Phillips, Liverpool finished 3rd in the league to qualify for the Champions League. Williams made nine Premier League appearances that season and 19 in all competitions, though he did not score for the Reds.
He never made another senior appearance after 2021, though he continued his development on loan at Swansea, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Port Vale, and Morecambe.
At youth level, Williams played twice for England's under-21 side and won the FA Youth Cup in 2019 with Liverpool.
Good luck to Rhys on the next stage of his football career.
