Liverpool confirm signing of Under-20 World Cup winner as Arne Slot secures crucial free transfer

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of English goalkeeper Freddie Woodman on a free transfer from Preston North End.

It has been all change in between the sticks for the Premier League champions this summer, as no fewer than three shot-stoppers have departed in search of regular minutes elsewhere.

Harvey Davies was the most recent to head for the exit door, joining Crawley Town on loan for the 2025-26 season, while Vitezslav Jaros has signed for Ajax on a temporary deal.

Perpetual backup Caomhin Kelleher also left permanently for Brentford, but Arne Slot has welcomed Giorgi Mamardashvili and Armin Pecsi to the club as Alisson's new deputies.

However, the temporary loss of Davies - in addition to the exit of Trent Alexander-Arnold - has left Liverpool slightly worse off in the home-grown department, a situation they have just rectified.

Shortly after reports first emerged of Liverpool's imminent deal for Woodman who will become a free agent when his contract with Championship side Preston expires on June 30, the Reds announced his signing later on Friday evening.

The 28-year-old will go down as an Association Trained player in Liverpool's UEFA squad; athletes must have represented another club in the same country for three years between the ages of 15 and 21 to be eligible for that list.

Woodman in profile following Liverpool free transfer

Formerly of the Crystal Palace and Newcastle United academy ranks, Woodman got his first big break in senior football with Swansea City during the 2019-20 Championship season after joining on loan from the Magpies.

The 1997-born shot-stopper enjoyed a fruitful two years with the Swans, keeping a Golden Glove-worthy 21 clean sheets in the 2020-21 Championship campaign as the Welsh outfit lost the playoff final to Brentford.

After his two-year loan stint at Swansea came to an end, Woodman made just one appearance for Bournemouth in the second half of the 2021-22 term and finally left Newcastle on a permanent deal that same summer, joining Preston and immediately establishing himself as number one.

The 6ft 2in shot-stopper managed 44 clean sheets in 138 games for the Deepdale outfit, including 13 in 37 Championship games last season, but his most notable career achievements have come in an England strip.

Woodman won the Under-17 European Championships with the Three Lions in 2014, three years before becoming an Under-20 World Cup winner, and he was England's starting goalkeeper during their run to global glory at the 2017 event.