Liverpool’s Longest-Serving Defender Set to Depart After 19 Years – League Two Club Already Interested

Liverpool’s Adam Lewis Set to Depart After 19 Years with League Two Interest Confirmed

Liverpool will bid farewell to one of their longest-serving academy players this summer as Adam Lewis, who has been with the club for 19 years, prepares to leave on a free transfer. The 24-year-old left-back joined the academy at the age of six and has spent nearly two decades with the Reds.

Lewis has been on loan with League Two side Newport County for the past two seasons, where he has made a significant impact. Newport’s manager, Graham Coughlan, has already expressed a keen interest in securing Lewis on a permanent deal.

“I would like to keep him here and have conversations about his future,” Coughlan told the South Wales Argus. “I don’t know what Liverpool will want to do with him, but if they offer a new contract, I don’t think we can compete with that. If they don’t, then I’d like to have a conversation with him.”

As things stand, Liverpool is unlikely to offer Lewis a new contract. Clubs often extend new deals to academy players whose contracts are expiring to protect their value, requiring the next club to pay training compensation. However, this usually applies to players aged 23 or under. With Lewis turning 25 in November, he will be available on a free transfer.

During his time with Newport, Lewis has made 58 appearances, scoring three goals and providing 12 assists. In a March interview with BBC Sport, Lewis expressed his desire to stay with the Welsh club. “I love Newport, I’ve had chats with the gaffer and the club, but I’ll always keep my options open,” he said. “I’d love to stay here, but that’s something I’ve got to discuss with the gaffer and the club.”

Lewis made a solitary senior appearance for Liverpool in an FA Cup match against Shrewsbury in 2020, where he played the full 90 minutes. The team, managed by Neil Critchley, featured young talents like Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Neco Williams, as the first team was on winter break.

His departure is part of a broader exodus from Liverpool’s academy this summer, with other players like Mateusz Musialowski and Melkamu Frauendorf also in the final month of their contracts.

As Lewis looks set to start a new chapter in his career, his long association with Liverpool will be fondly remembered, and Newport County appears eager to make him a permanent addition to their squad.