LONDON, ENGLAND - Monday, January 24, 2022: Liverpool's Rhys Williams during the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Crystal Palace FC Under-23's and Liverpool FC Under-23's at the Crystal Palace Academy. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Rhys Williams reveals plan for summer transfer window after “eye-opener”

Rhys Williams has revealed the plan for him in the summer transfer window, with the Liverpool centre-back keen to avoid a repeat of his “eye-opener” at Swansea.

After rising to prominence for Jurgen Klopp last season, there was a keen desire to see Williams continue his upward trajectory with a loan spell in 2021/22.

Swansea was the chosen destination in the Championship, a club that had a good track record with Rhian Brewster and one with promotion hopes.

But the regular senior football he craved was not forthcoming, with the 21-year-old starting just five of his seven appearances before making a premature return to Liverpool in January.

And after settling back into first-team training and finishing off the season with the under-23s, Williams has outlined what’s next – and that includes another loan deal, a carefully chosen one.

Rhys Williams. Swansea. (Credit: Action Plus Sports/Alamy Live News)

“It wasn’t the way I saw it panning out,” Williams reflected on his loan in a insightful interview with Goal. “But I’ve tried to take as much as I possibly can from it.

“Football isn’t always going to go the way you want it to, so [Swansea] was an eye-opener to the other side, and it’s making me work even harder to make sure it doesn’t happen to me again.

“I just want to play as many games as I can,” Williams continued.

“I know that it’s far too soon for me to be thinking about getting ahead of these great defenders that we have, so the plan is to get a loan that works for me, to find a manager that will back me and trust me.

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - Monday, August 23, 2021: Liverpool's Rhys Williams during the pre-match warm-up before the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Everton FC Under-23's and Liverpool FC Under-23's, the Mini-Merseyside Derby, at Haig Avenue. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“The experiences of the last 18 months will help me. Swansea was disappointing but it’s gone now, and it doesn’t have to define me. I know what I can do and what I’m capable of.

“I just need a chance to show it now.”

That chance could again come in the Championship next season but the Reds will be eager to find a club that can allow Williams to prosper and continue his development, much like Sepp van den Berg has experienced at Preston.