VALE BOLSTER BACKLINE AS WILLIAMS SIGNS UP
PORT Vale have signed Liverpool defender Rhys Williams on loan for the remainder of the League One season.
The 22-year-old makes the temporary switch from Anfield to bolster the Valiants’ defensive options following Kofi Balmer’s return to Crystal Palace.
Centre-half Williams progressed through the Liverpool Academy and made his first-team debut in a 2020 Carabao Cup clash at Lincoln City.
Williams has made 19 appearances for Liverpool and also had loan spells in the Championship with Swansea City and Blackpool.
He spent the first half of this season on loan at Aberdeen, but only made one appearance for the Dons.
He was recalled by Liverpool and has now made the switch to Vale Park.
Vale manager Andy Crosby told the club: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Rhys to Vale Park.
“He comes into the squad and instantly enhances our defensive options with the quality that he possesses and, as a person, I am sure that he will prove to be a popular figure off the pitch too, with his personality, drive and desire to become the very best version of himself.
“This loan signing is yet another example of clubs at the elite level seeing the way that we treat the players both on and off the pitch and the way that we play as a team, and ultimately seeing Port Vale as an ideal home for their future talents’ development.
“I would personally like to thank Liverpool FC for allowing us the opportunity to work with Rhys; the First Team staff and I all look forward to working closely with him for the remainder of the season.”
Vale’s director of football David Flitcroft says Williams is the ideal fit for the Valiants.
He added: “He comes into the club as a player with great pedigree and experience. Ourselves, Liverpool and Rhys alike believe that Port Vale is the right home for him and where his career at this point for him to come in and to be given a platform to recognise his potential.
“As a player, at 6ft 5in, Rhys is a committed and combative defender who enjoys to get on the ball and start defensive progressions. Rhys has a determined drive to become the very
best that he can be, it makes him the perfect fit, both on and off the pitch, for Andy Crosby’s team.
“I would like to thank the team at Liverpool for entrusting us with one of their highly-rated, elite talents and David Lockwood and Dave Ayres for the work that went into making this deal happen.”
Meanwhile, Balmer has returned to Premier League Crystal Palace after making 16 appearances for the Valiants in the first half of the campaign.
Flitcroft said: “We’d like to thank Kofi for his efforts whilst he has been with us here at Port Vale.
“Kofi has committed to all we have asked of him and it’s been difficult
to find rhythm due to the couple of injuries he sustained.
“As a result, Kofi has not made as many appearances as we would have hoped for, but has still been involved in 16 games over the course of his time with the club.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Crystal Palace, specifically Mark Bright who has been nothing but supportive of Kofi’s loan at Vale Park.
“I look forward to working with him in the future.
“Finally, on behalf of the club, I’d like to wish Kofi nothing but success with his career, he is a great lad that has huge potential and we’re looking forward to seeing how he develops.”