Young Liverpool Goalkeeper Leaves Club Just Two Weeks After Signing New Contract
Liverpool goalkeeper Andy Firth has left the club in search of first team football, just two weeks after signing a new contract at Anfield.
The 21-year-old has been part of the Reds' academy for 11 years, joining as a ten-year-old back in 2007, but has left for National League side Barrow on Saturday as he looks to build a career as a first-team professional.
Firth had spent the second half of the 2017/18 season on loan at Chester City, but he was not successful in saving the Blues from relegation to the National League North.
On his departure, the shot stopper said Twitter: "After 11 years at Liverpool FC, today is the day my playing journey comes to an end!
"I'm truly grateful for everything the club has done for me! They've given me the chance to travel all over the globe playing the game I love, allowed me to train and play with some of my childhood idols and exposed me to so many amazing experiences.
"The journey really has been a dream come true, and I'll take these memories and experiences with me till the day I die."
Firth has been expected to be Liverpool Under-23's first-choice keeper for the forthcoming season, but this position will now be contested between Kamil Grabara, Caoimhin Kelleher (below) and Viteslav Jaros.
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Following the summer departures of other first-team goalkeepers Danny Ward and Adam Bogdan to Leicester City and Hibernian respectively, there could be a space in the first-team squad for one of those goalkeepers to step up.
Both Grabara and Kelleher have flown to the United States with Jurgen Klopp's pre-season tour squad and have both been guaranteed game time over in America.
And the high-profile arrival of Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson, who joined the Reds from Roma earlier on in the week, means that current second choice goalkeeper Simon Mignolet could be on his way out of Liverpool.
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The other goalkeeper at Jurgen Klopp's disposal is Loris Karius, who has also flown to the US, despite being at fault for two out of Real Madrid's three goals in Liverpool's Champions League final defeat in May.
