Liverpool have appointed former Wales manager Rob Page as new head coach of their U21s, following the departure of former academy coach Barry Lewtas.
Page held the Wales job for almost four years between 2020 and 2024, leading his country to their first World Cup since 1958 when they reached the 2022 tournament.
Having been relieved of his duties in July of last year, the 50-year-old has not held a coaching position since.
But Liverpool have moved quickly to appoint Page in a new role as U21s head coach, replacing the departed Lewtas who vacated his position earlier this month.
It follows a trend of the club bringing in coaches with senior managerial and playing experience, with John Heitinga to be replaced by ex-Feyenoord, Rangers and Besiktas head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst before the start of pre-season.
Page will bring his vast knowledge to a lead role at the AXA Training Centre, having also coached through the age groups in the Wales setup.
He could be met with some familiar faces, too, having worked with both left-back Owen Beck and forward Lewis Koumas during his time in charge of the national team.
Liverpool are also set to appoint a new head coach for the U18s, with long-serving coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson leaving the club to take up an assistant role at Huddersfield.
Speaking to the club’s official website, academy director Alex Inglethorpe said: “Rob brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to a key role as young players look to bridge that gap from academy prospect to first-team footballer.
“His recent achievements in guiding Wales to the last 16 at Euro 2020 before qualifying for the 2022 World Cup speak for themselves but perhaps less heralded is the work that took place during his time in charge of the national team, which saw numerous pathway players make it into the senior squad.
“This is something we have seen first-hand at Liverpool with several of our Academy players making significant progress on the international stage under Rob’s guidance.
“This level of experience in transitioning young footballers towards the professional game and on to the highest levels of domestic and international football will be a significant resource for all at the Academy, especially the players.
“Myself and all the staff are greatly looking forward to working with Rob as we endeavour to continue producing players capable of playing at the highest level and in the most demanding of arenas.”
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