Liverpool’s future can benefit if they play Rhys Williams over these next three games. The 20-year-old is on the verge of something.
It flies a little under the radar that Rhys Williams is setting up a very bright future for himself. We didn’t see that coming before this season – but this hasn’t been an ordinary season.
There is no chance, after all, that Liverpool wanted Williams playing at Old Trafford in the final month of the season. That’s far too big a game for a 20-year-old who spent last season in the National League.
Yet Williams played and held his own on a big night for the club. No, he wasn’t perfect but he put in a decent performance considering the standard of forwards he faced.
In fact, there are very few 20-year-old centre-backs putting in that kind of display under that kind of pressure. Especially in the Premier League.
Because Williams has been thrust into first-team contention and played under that pressure, it’s easy to forget that he is still just a young player. And for a centre-back, he’s very young – he might not peak for nine or ten years.
So to be putting in the performances he is right now is quite special. Let alone the fact he’s gaining experience very few defenders do at his age. It’s setting him up for a bright future, then, and that’s why we think Liverpool must play him over these last three games.
The future for Rhys Williams
That doesn’t necessarily mean starting Williams, we should say. If Ozan Kabak is fit, we’d like to see him in. But Williams should get minutes.
Because the more comfortable he looks in the Premier League, the better the loan deal Liverpool can secure for him this summer.
There’s next to no chance that he’ll get games with the Reds next season, after all. At the same time, we absolutely do not want to see him sold. His value could rise dramatically over the next few years, should he develop correctly.
Instead, the next step should be a solid loan to get him regular football at a good level. We do wonder if some lower-table Premier League sides would take a look at him after another two or three decent displays.
But at the very least, you’d think a good Championship club would want someone who can hold their own against Edinson Cavani.
And if Liverpool can get him a good loan move, Williams could develop quite rapidly over the next year. Keep that up for a couple more seasons and the youngster will be far better than he is right now.
That player might be good enough for a place in Liverpool’s squad, considering what he’s doing now. At the very least, there’s a profitable sale there.
But step one is making sure Williams doesn’t spend another season without regular football. It’s time for him to take his next step.
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