Rumour Mongering: Aston Villa, Wolves, and Saints Battle for Neco Williams

Earlier this summer, journalists with ties to Liverpool claimed that 20-year-old right back Neco Williams would seek a move away from the club as the player doesn’t see a clear path to regular playing time stuck behind Trent Alexander-Arnold on the Reds’ depth chart.

Now, it appears Liverpool believe there could be a bidding war for Williams, with Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Southampton all said to want to sign the young Welshman. At least that’s the story from The Athletic’s James Pearce on the Kop Fracas podcast.

With Wales out of the Euros, Williams is expected to return to the club shortly rather than heading off on holiday as the young defender looks to expedite a move and find himself a new permanent home in time to get a full pre-season with his new club under his belt.

From the beginning, Liverpool have been said to be reluctant to sell the promising Williams. However, if the player pushes for a move and a club meets their £10M valuation—or, with multiple clubs sniffing around, beats it—they won’t stand in the way of the player.

If Williams departs, the Reds are unlikely to seek a direct replacement and would instead reinvest the funds elsewhere, with Joe Gomez and James Milner both able to fill in at the position and academy star Conor Bradley thought to be ready to take a step up.