Liverpool confirm addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad in official club announcement
Liverpool have recalled Rhys Williams from his loan spell at Aberdeen, with the news confirmed on the Reds’ official website and social media channels on Wednesday morning.
The defender is now back at Anfield after his temporary move to Scotland, which was originally intended to last a full season but has now been cut short by his parent club.
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The 22-year-old’s return boosts Jurgen Klopp’s centre-back options, which had been hampered by the cruciate ligament injury to Joel Matip and the necessity to move Joe Gomez to left-back in the absences of Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson.
Even if Liverpool had their full complement of defenders available, they may have been considering a recall for Williams anyway, given that he didn’t make a single senior appearance for Aberdeen (Transfermarkt).
It was a loan which was benefitting no-one, and although his lack of game-time in Scotland suggests that he’ll be a peripheral figure at best for the Reds, at least he fleshes out Klopp’s centre-back depth to some degree.
The manager is likely to rotate his squad considerably for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup clashes against Arsenal and Fulham next week, particularly with numerous injury problems to navigate after coming through a hectic pre-Christmas and festive schedule.
Williams has prior experience of stepping up amid a lengthy casualty list at Liverpool, memorably rising to the challenge three years ago alongside the similarly green Nat Phillips as the Reds salvaged a third-place finish from a difficult season.
There’s a firm likelihood that his return to Anfield will be short-lived and that he could be loaned out again before the end of the month, but at least he gives Klopp another centre-back option for the time being.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Wednesday, May 25, 2022: Liverpool’s Owen Beck during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final game between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid CF. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Owen Beck is in contention to come straight into the Liverpool starting XI following his recall from a successful loan stint at Dundee.
With Jurgen Klopp keen to protect his only current senior left-back option, Joe Gomez, 21-year-old Beck could feature when the Reds travel to Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup.
And he is likely to be one of a number of changes the manager makes as he accounts for the physical toll of a gruelling festive period.
With Caoimhin Kelleher expected to keep his place in the League Cup in midweek, Alisson should come in between the sticks at the Emirates Stadium.
Ahead of him, it may well be all change at full-back, with Beck joined by fellow academy graduate Conor Bradley in starting in order to give Trent Alexander-Arnold a much-needed rest.
At centre-back, Jarell Quansah feels an obvious pick, the benefits of Ibrahima Konate seeing his minutes managed over Christmas can be reaped here with a start.
In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister desperately needs minutes to get back up to speed, while Ryan Gravenberch should replace Dominik Szoboszlai, as he did against Newcastle.
Curtis Jones was also rotated over the festive period and so should not be too fatigued to do at least an hour here with midfield options thin on the ground.
Up top, if Diogo Jota is a nailed on starter against Fulham then Luis Diaz seems a sensible pick on the left, and the same goes for Cody Gakpo coming in at centre-forward to set Darwin Nunez up to feature in midweek.
And that leaves Harvey Elliott to take on right-wing duties in the absence of his idol Mohamed Salah, in a potential audition for Wednesday’s game.
Liverpool have three days to prepare after the FA Cup fixture for the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Fulham, whereas Arsenal will not play again until January 20.
Potential Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Quansah, Beck; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz.
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