Nathaniel Phillips signs new four-year contract at Liverpool

Liverpool have confirmed a new four-year contract for Nathaniel Phillips, ending speculation that he may move away from Anfield.

The 24-year-old was thrust into the limelight last season after Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all suffered long-term injuries, and he performed admirably alongside loanee Ozan Kabak and academy graduate Rhys Williams.

With Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip now fit, and Ibrahima Konate signed from RB Leipzig, many thought Phillips' time at the club would draw to an end and he'd be looking for a club able to offer him regular first-team football.

But in a surprising turn of events, the Reds have confirmed he's signed a new contract and is now committed to the club until 2025.

Speaking of his new deal to the club's website, Phillips said: “Obviously after last year, it’s really nice to get that reward from the club. I’m happy to be sticking around and being available if the club need to call on me again.

“I’m excited for the next chapter and just to see what that brings.

“It is nice that the club has shown me that recognition and hopefully I can bring more of the same with whatever opportunities come my way.

“Over the off-season I had a bit of time to reflect on what had happened throughout the season, how it ended and to be proud of that. But like I’ve said in previous interviews, you don’t want to dwell on that too much and you want to look forward and see if you can continue to push in a positive direction.

“Obviously it was a dramatic change, no-one saw it coming, I didn’t see it coming – the circumstances that unfolded whereby I ended up playing regularly for Liverpool’s first team.

“For anybody playing for Liverpool’s first team, that is going to be life-changing. For me it’s the same. Obviously it’s brought about this opportunity as well.”