Former Lancashire schoolboy Will Wright signs for Liverpool FC as a striker

This week it was announced that 17-year-old Will Wright from Preston had completed his move from League Two club Salford City to Premier League side Liverpool.

The deal between the two clubs was confirmed on Monday but former Holy Cross High School pupil Will made his debut for the Reds Under-21s over the weekend and made a substitute appearance in the 3-2 friendly win over Athletic Club Bilbao at Anfield on Monday night - his senior debut suggesting he has already got Arne Slot’s attention.

On making his debut, Will said: “Last week my nan was making me chips and beans for dinner in Salford and this week I’m getting threaded in passes from Chiesa!

“Its all a bit too much to take in to be honest but i’m loving it”

The striker only left Chorley’s Holy Cross last summer and the school has taken to social media to share their pride.

Sharing a photo of Will collecting his GCSE results in August 2024, a school spokersperson said: “Everyone is so proud of Class of 2024 pupil Will Wright who has signed for Premier League [club] Liverpool!

Will’s mum Claire also told Holy Cross: “We are full of pride for him as he has lived and breathed football since he was little.

“He is very grounded and just takes everything in his stride.

“Last night [the Athletic Club match] was a taste of the top level but he knows that the hard work has only just started and he is looking forward to developing in the Under 21s squad."

Preston born Will started his football career as a youngster at Euxton Villa, where his dad Mark - who was a former professional footballer for Preston North End Football Club - was his coach.

He then played for Fylde before being snapped up by Salford City FC when he was in Year 11, securing a two-year scholarship.

Will, whose brother Oliver will go into Year 10 at Holy Cross in September, made four senior appearances for Salford, including against Manchester City in the Emirates FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium.

He started this pre-season strongly, scoring four goals in three senior appearances for Salford's first team before being sold to Liverpool FC.

During his senior debut at Anfield last night for the first team, Will even almost scored during his 16 minutes on the pitch against Bilbao.

Head of Academy at Salford, Jamie Russell, said: “We are absolutely delighted for Will to complete his move to Liverpool after a very successful season as a first year scholar. He has earned this opportunity and we are excited to see how he continues to develop and progress.

“It’s brilliant for us as an Academy to see a player move on to a Category 1 club. We’ve only been Category 3 ourselves since 2023, but in that time to see 17 players make men’s team debuts and to have interest in a number of players from clubs higher up the leagues is testament to the job that the coaches, the staff, and the recruitment team here are doing.

“It is clear that we have a pathway here at Salford, and there is a platform for players to come in from grassroots, learn, and perform to fulfil their potential. Of course we don’t want to just sell our best players, we want to see them stay here, do well, reach the men’s team and be successful for the Club, but when moves like this happen it’s also a time to celebrate the player and their achievement, and the success of the work that’s been put into helping their development.”