A day after Mo Salah and Andy Robertson bade an emotional farewell to Anfield , Liverpool confirmed the exit of another first-team player, who'd earlier announced the news on social media.
The Reds' 2020/21 campaign is remembered for the defensive injury crisis which ultimately led to the inexperienced duo of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams forming an improbable but effective centre-back partnership as Jurgen Klopp's team somehow salvaged a third-place finish in the Premier League.
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The former joined West Brom on a permanent transfer last year, and the latter announced on Monday that his time with LFC is now coming to a close.
Williams posted on X : 'From signing as a 9-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 Liverpool, YNWA'
Shortly after that social media post, Liverpool confirmed on their official website that the defender will depart when his contract expires at the end of June, having risen from the under-10s to the first team during his 16 years with the Reds.
The club's statement signed off with: 'Everybody at LFC would like to thank Rhys for his contribution and wish him well for the future.'
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All 19 of Williams' first-team appearances for Liverpool came during the aforementioned 2020/21 season , with the defender having five separate loan spells in the subsequent four years, so it's no great surprise that he'll now depart at the end of his contract.
The Athletic reported in January that the centre-back had wanted to go out on loan again at the start of this year, but he was retained despite being included in a senior matchday squad just once all season (as an unused substitute against Southampton in the Carabao Cup in September).
Now 25, it's understandable that the Preston native is keen to establish himself as a first-team regular elsewhere, having seen several other defenders move above him in the pecking order at Anfield (and that's before the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet this summer).
Williams' Liverpool career never quite took off after that 2020/21 season, but when his club needed him five years ago as a callow 20-year-old, he stepped up to the task commendably and played a massive part in rescuing Champions League qualification.
We wish him the very best with wherever his next adventure takes him, and he has our eternal gratitude for what he gave to the Reds in their time of need.
