Liverpool set to recall defender Rhys Williams from Aberdeen loan deal.

Liverpool defender Despite signing on loan at Aberdeen with Champions League group stage experience, Rhys Williams has not played a single minute in the Scottish Premiership.

The 22-year-old centre-back had a tough tenure at Pittodrie and failed to play in the Scottish Premiership.

Williams made his only debut for Aberdeen in the 2-1 Viaplay Cup victory over Stirling Albion on August 18.

When the January transfer market begins next Monday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp plans to cancel the loan early and bring the defender back to Anfield.

Williams is under contract with the six-time European champions until the summer of 2026, following a five-year deal signed in August 2021.

When the Dons signed the 6ft 5in centre-back on loan in June of this year, there was a lot riding on him.

Williams had previously been dubbed “the next Virgil van Dijk” and had made 19 appearances, 15 of which were starts.

With Liverpool, the defender has played in the Champions League group stage.

However, he saw no action throughout Aberdeen’s Euro campaign, which saw them compete in the Europa Conference League group stages.

Williams appeared in all six of Liverpool’s Champions League group-stage matches against Ajax, Midtjylland, and Atalanta in 2020-21.

During the same season, the defender was instrumental in Liverpool’s late-season Premier League winning streak that secured Champions League qualifying.

Williams was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League loss to Real Madrid just three months before joining Pittodrie on loan.

Williams hasn’t featured for Liverpool’s first team since the 2020-21 season, and he’s spent time on loan at Swansea and Blackpool.

“Rhys came up injured and has struggled,” Robson stated at the club’s AGM.

“Stefan Gartenmann came in along with Richard Jensen and they have both done well, so Rhys has found it tough to get into the team.”

Williams made his Dons debut at halftime in a 9-0 pre-season friendly win over Highland League Turriff United on July 12.

However, a calf injury forced him to miss the next pre-season friendlies and opening games of the season.

On August 15, he played for the Dons B side in a 5-3 SPFL Trust Trophy loss to Peterhead.

Williams made his first team debut three days later against Stirling Albion in the Viaplay Cup, but it was his only appearance.

Williams, on the other hand, would return to the B team.

In October, he made his debut against Highland League Fraserburgh in a penalty shootout win in the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield at Pittodrie.

The Liverpool defense struggled against Fraserburgh.

Williams is the Dons’ second loan from Liverpool, having previously raided the Anfield club to capture Leighton Clarkson on loan until the summer of 2022.

Clarkson, a midfielder, was a big hit at Pittodrie during a season-long loan.

Because of his effect, the Dons swooped in this summer to sign Clarkson to a four-year contract.

Williams is one of three loan players signed by Dons manager Bryan Robson this summer on season-long terms.

International full-back for Israel Or Dadia joined on loan from Israel’s top flight team Hapoel Be’er Sheva for the season.

Dadia has yet to appear in a competitive minute for the Dons’ first team.

Aberdeen have the option to buy at the end of the loan, but Robson has also announced that he will evaluate Dadia’s loan contract.

The other loan signing has been a success, with centre-back Stefan Gartenmann joining from Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland for the season.

Gartenmann is under contract with the Danish Superliga team until 2025.

For Aberdeen, the 26-year-old has started 20 games and made no replacement appearances.

Gartenmann scored in Rangers’ 3-1 defeat at Ibrox in September.