Liverpool have added Freddie Woodman to their goalkeeping ranks more than nine years after the club first registered their interest in his services.
With Caoimhin Kelleher leaving for Brentford and Vitezslav Jaros sent on loan to Ajax, there was an opening alongside Alisson and Giorgi Mamardashvili as the third-choice ‘keeper.
The club acted smartly by landing Woodman on a free transfer from Preston, ensuring they have not taken up a valuable non-homegrown spot for a No. 3 goalkeeper.
At 28, he offers experience but notably Liverpool’s pursuit came nine years after they were first interested in his signature when at Newcastle as a teenager.
In February 2016, the Newcastle Chronicle reported the Reds were scouting the then-18-year-old with a view to adding to their list of young, talented goalkeepers.
He had less than six months on his contract at the time and 12 senior appearances while on loan at Crawley Town in League One, in addition to outings with Newcastle‘s U21s.
Woodman’s father, Andy, was a goalkeeping coach at Newcastle but left the club the previous summer to join Crystal Palace, a club he was subsequently linked with.
Michael Edwards was technical director at the time of the first reported interest in Woodman, taking on the newly-created role as sporting director in November 2016.
But goalkeepers were clearly on the agenda in what was Jurgen Klopp‘s first summer with Loris Karius and veteran Alex Manninger both signed to compete and train alongside Simon Mignolet.
Freddie Woodman.#pnefc pic.twitter.com/XBp7F8JQsX
— NEP Daily Football Podcast (@northendpod) January 11, 2025
Woodman ultimately remained on Newcastle‘s books until 2022, going on to have loan spells with Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Swansea and Bournemouth before permanently joining Preston and making 138 appearances.
It is a full circle moment, if you will, for Woodman who will now train alongside Alisson and Mamardashvili at Liverpool nine years on from the club’s first reported interest.
He has over 300 senior appearances under his belt, including four in the Premier League and over 200 in the Championship. He also won the Golden Glove and a winner’s medal at the U20 World Cup in 2017.
His move became official on July 1 after his contract at Preston expired, he will meet his new teammates when pre-season training starts at the AXA Training Centre on July 8.
