Official: Four Liverpool Youth Players Leave Club

It’s not the excitement of big money signings or shock departures, but Liverpool have over the past 24 hours announced that four youth players have left the club, with three heading off on loan for the 2019-20 season and one leaving the club permanently.

First up is news that 22-year-old Nathaniel Phillips signed a new long-term deal and then joined Stuttgart for the season, suggesting that the centre half—who impressed early in pre-season but who many assumed was likely to move on permanently—could still have a future at the club.

Then there’s Taiwo Awoniyi, the 21-year-old Nigerian striker who arrived a highly regarded prospect in 2015 but has failed to earn a work permit. He signed a new deal last summer before spending time with Gent and Royal Excel Mouscron. This season, he’s heading to Jürgen Klopp’s former club, Mainz, for the season.

The third loanee is Canadian Liam Millar, who returns to Kilmarnock in Scotland after having spent the second half of last season with them. It’s a continuation of the 19-year-old’s first loan away from Liverpool, and like the others he signed a new contract before heading out in January.

Finally, there’s news that George Johnston, a 20-year-old crentre half who often captained the U23s last season, has completed a permanent transfer to Feyenoord. The Dutch club reportedly paid a £300k fee to sign him, with Liverpool also receiving a 30% sell-on fee.