Liverpool academy news featuring Lewis, Firth and Vigouroux

Kane Lewis and Andy Firth have Signed Professional Contracts At Liverpool.

Kane Lewis and Andy Firth are the latest Liverpool youngsters to sign professional contracts with the club. Lewis, 18, has been a regular for Neil Critchley’s U18s this season, with the full-back making 30 appearances in the 2015/16 season. Firth, 19, will enter his tenth season with the Reds, graduating from the U18s to the U21s last season, but he made just two appearances.

Lewis joined the Reds in the summer of 2014 from Championship side Brentford, and predominantly plays at right-back, but did feature at left-back throughout the season.

Lewis’ contract opens the way for Trent Alexander-Arnold to make the step up to U21 level to compete with Connor Randall.

With Danny Ward set to join Huddersfield Town on a season-long loan, and Ryan Fulton publicly expressing his desire to go back out on loan, it seems Firth with compete with Shamal George for the number one jersey in Michael Beale’s U21s.

Firth spent three months of last season at non-league side Witton Albion, before returning to Melwood at the end of the season.

The goalkeeper has European experience as well, featuring in the UEFA Youth League, keeping a clean sheet in his one and only game for Liverpool U19s.

The new deals come just a few weeks after both players were put on the released list published by the Premier League.

Liverpool’s U21s and U18s returned to pre-season training this week as they look to build on another successful season at Kirkby.

Meanwhile Liverpool U21 Goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux Completed a Permanent Transfer To Swindon Town.

Lawrence Vigouroux

Lawrence Vigouroux has joined League One side Swindon Town on a permanent transfer from Premier League side Liverpool for an undisclosed fee.

Vigouroux, 22, moved to the Reds in the summer of 2014 having made 12 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur in the U21 Premier League.

After spending last season out of loan with the Robins, he joins Swindon on a permanent deal for a reported fee of around £400,000.

Vigouroux joined Swindon in August 2015 on a season-long loan, and kept five clean sheets in 36 appearances.

He briefly returned to Liverpool because of disciplinary issues, as he paid a £50 fine in 1p coins, issued due to the fact that he was late for training.

The club did show and interest in Vigouroux in the January transfer window, but chairman Lee Power was reluctant to spend any considerable money because he wanted Vigouroux to be a long-term investment.

However, just six months later, Swindon decide to make the move permanent for the Chilean on the day the transfer window officially opens.

In his two years at Liverpool, Vigouroux made just ten appearances in the U21 Premier League for Michael Beale’s side. His last game for the club came in the Reds’ post-season tour of the USA, where Liverpool drew 2-2 with Sacramento Republic FC.

His departure comes on the same day that his U21 team-mate and goalkeeper Andrew Firth signed his first professional contract with the Reds, hinting that he could replace Vigouroux for the 2016/17 season.