Liverpool midfielder confirms emotional Anfield exit with a post on Instagram

James Balagizi has officially confirmed that his long association with Liverpool has come to an end, bringing an 11-year chapter at Anfield to a close.

The 22-year-old midfielder joined the Reds at Under-11 level and progressed through the academy, but a first-team breakthrough never quite arrived.

His departure had already been signalled earlier this summer, when Liverpool included him among the academy players set to leave following the expiry of their contracts.

Balagizi says goodbye to Liverpool in heartfelt message

Balagizi confirmed the news on Instagram on Monday, posting an emotional message reflecting on more than a decade at the club.

He wrote:

‘From 11 to 22, it’s been an honour to represent this special club throughout a large part of my life. I’m so grateful and fortunate for all of the experiences I’ve had over the years. A massive thank you to everyone who has been on this journey alongside me – teammates, coaches and staff. ‘This is a period I’ll always look back on fondly, with many ups, downs and lessons learned. Hopefully, I can use all of these experiences to help shape the rest of my professional career. I’d also like to thank everyone who has supported me in any capacity. YNWA ’

Balagizi’s path included loan spells with Crawley Town, Wigan Athletic, Kilmarnock and Forest Green Rovers. Liverpool’s official website noted that he made 16 appearances and scored three goals for Crawley during the first half of the 2022-23 season.

He was also named on the Liverpool senior bench twice, while featuring in the Under-18 side that reached the 2021 FA Youth Cup final.