Liverpool have ended their long association with striker Paul Glatzel, with the 22-year-old leaving the club he joined at under-9s level.
Glatzel was once on the brink of a first-team breakthrough under Jurgen Klopp, but a serious knee injury on his ‘debut’ in pre-season in 2019 put paid to that.
The Liverpool-born forward was sidelined for 10 months after rupturing his ACL, and despite training with the first team and later impressing on loan at Tranmere, further issues have seen his hopes fade.
Now, having proved his fitness at U21s level after signing a new one-year contract with the Reds last summer, Glatzel has left on a permanent deal.
It was confirmed on Friday evening that he has joined League Two side Swindon Town, after over 13 years with his boyhood club.
Glatzel joined Liverpool as an under-9, before progressing through the ranks to eventually captain the U21s, via a prolific partnership with Bobby Duncan in the U18s.
Now, he will look to begin his senior career alongside fellow academy graduates Tom Brewitt, Jake Cain and Tom Clayton at the County Ground.
He played alongside both Clayton and Cain in the youth ranks, including when the young Reds won the FA Youth Cup by beating Man City in the final in 2019.
As part of Michael Flynn’s squad, Glatzel will be competing with an ex-Premier League striker for a starting spot, with Charlie Austin, formerly of QPR, Southampton and West Brom, captain of the club.
Swindon are currently 15th in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and head to Crewe Alexandra in their next game on Saturday.
Glatzel departs Liverpool with the best wishes of everyone at the club, having represent the Reds admirably throughout his time on the books.
On a practical level, it removes another homegrown player from the Premier League squad, with Vitezslav Jaros also joining Sturm Graz on loan this month.
