Liverpool surprise transfer responds to prospect of unexpected debut - 'I had other options'

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

But that it could come against the team where he started his career means Wednesday could have extra significance for Freddie Woodman.Woodman was arguably the least heralded of the Reds' summer splurge having been snapped up on a free transfer to bolster the senior goalkeeping unit following the departure of Vitezlsav Jaros on a season-long loan to Ajax.The 28-year-old former England under-21 international, who was at Preston North End last season, had made more than 200 appearances in the Championship and also featured for Newcastle United in the Premier League before making the move to Anfield.READ MORE: Arne Slot knows the one statistic that needs changing to force Liverpool turnaroundNevertheless, Woodman's chances of first-team action this season were expected to be slim given he stands third in line behind Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili in the goalkeeper pecking order under Liverpool boss Arne Slot.But the absence of Alisson with a hamstring injury and the subsequent possible need to protect Mamardashvili means Woodman, who has been on the bench seven times, could make his Liverpool debut when Crystal Palace - the club where his father Andy played and with whom he spent much of his youth career - visit for the League Cup fourth round tie on Wednesday evening.Having been in a similar predicament at the same stage of the competition last season with Alisson again hamstrung, Slot chose to hand a full debut to Jaros.And of the chance of doing likewise, Woodman said: "Any time I get to pull on the jersey for this club, whether it be a pre-season game or whatever competition, I’ll always just try to do my best and enjoy the moment."I’ve spent a lot of time playing in the Championship so to play for a club with this history is pretty special.“I wanted to keep playing and I’m only 28, but there was a conversation in the summer where Liverpool came up. I had other options but my dad said to me, ‘How do you turn down Liverpool?

I’m very happy with my decision."Liverpool have won the League Cup a record 10 times and were beaten finalists against Newcastle United last season when attempting to defend the trophy they last won in 2024.“It’s clear that this club takes the competition seriously, like it does every competition," said Woodman. "When you get to the latter stages, you go to Wembley and you see how important it is to the fans.“We train in the goalkeeping area at the AXA Training Centre and I regularly see the photo of Caoimhin Kelleher on the wall after his success in the recent finals, and that’s how important it is.

You can really write yourself into history if you win trophies at this club."Born in Croydon, Woodman spent his formative years at local club Palace although he explains it was a happy accident when at secondary school that saw him snapped up by the Londoners.“It was my turn to go in goal one day and I had a teacher at the time, Mr Bruce, who was a coach for Crystal Palace," he said to the official Liverpool matchday programme."After the session, he came up to me and said he wanted me to go down to Crystal Palace Park, where the academy set-up was based, that evening and take a trial. And that’s where it all started for me.“I used to go down to Selhurst with my grandad as he had a season ticket down there.