Goalkeeper 28
Freddie Woodman joined Liverpool as a Free Agent in the Summer of 2025 after his contract with Preston North End expired, as a backup option for Alisson Becker and Mamardashvili.
Biography
Woodman was born on 4 March 1997 in Croydon, Greater London. His father, Andy Woodman, was a Professional goalkeeper who played for clubs like Brentford, Northampton Town, Oxford United, and Colchester United.
His Influence as a Goalkeeper played a key role in influencing Freddie’s career choice. His mother, Anna Woodman, was not a footballer, but she supported her son’s career as she traveled to watch him play.
At 14, Woodman Joined Crystal Palace Academy after he was recommended by one of the coaches who was a teacher at his secondary school. However, before joining the academy, he was a strong Crystal Palace supporter who had already been featured as a ball boy and Mascott for the club.
Career
Woodman Left Crystal Palace Academy for Newcastle United in 2013; at that time, his father Andy was a member of the coaching staff at the goalkeeping department of the club.
A year after his move to Newcastle United, he was sent on a month-long loan to Hartlepool United; the primary reason for this move was to give him first-team experience, which was hard for him to gain at Newcastle United.
He returned to Newcastle after six appearances at Hartlepool United, where he was an unused substitute throughout the six games.
Woodman was sent on another loan spell to the League Two side Crawley Town on 15 July, 2015, almost a year after his previous loan deal to Hartlepool United. On 8 August 2015, he made his debut against Oxford United, which ended in a 1:1 draw.
According to a report, Crawley Town’s management saw Woodman’s presence in their squad as a boost before he was recalled to Newcastle United camp; he made 12 appearances in a competition for Crawley Town.
Shortly after his return to Newcastle United, he made another loan move to Kilmarnock, a club in the Scottish Premiership, for the rest of the 2016/2017 season. On January 21, 2017, he made his debut for the side against Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Cup, which ended in a 1:0 loss.
Woodman left Kilmarnock before the end of the season, as he was playing in the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup. Before his departure, Woodman made 15 appearances for the side with five (5) clean sheets to his name.
After his successful campaign with the England U20 in the World Cup, Woodman stayed at Newcastle United for the 2017/2018 season. On 6 January 2018, he made his debut for the side against Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup after years of being at the club.
A few days after his debut on 31 January, he was loaned out to another Scottish club, Aberdeen, where he is to play for the rest of the 2017/2018 season.
His loan move to Championship side Swansea was a major boost to his career, as he became a regular starter for the club. By the end of the season, he had 43 total appearances for the side in all competitions in his first season.
Woodman’s loan spell pushed into a second season with Swansea; for the 2020/2021 season he had 52 appearances for the club, which was his most playing time in a single season. At the end of the season, he won the Championship Golden Gloves for most clean sheets.
He returned to Newcastle United ahead of the 2021/2022 season, as the club suffered an injury crisis for their first-choice and second-choice goalkeepers. He featured in Newcastle’s opening games of the season against West Ham United.
Woodman suffered a heavy backlash after making two errors against Manchester United at Old Trafford, which led to a 4:1 defeat. The Newcastle fans were not pleased with the performance, so on 31 January 2022 he was sent on loan to Bournemouth for the rest of the season.
Woodman made a permanent move to the EFL Championship club Preston North End on 21 June 2022, for a three-year deal. He made 46 league appearances in his first season for Preston and won the Player of the Year Award.
At the end of his contract with Preston North End, Woodman joined Liverpool FC as a free agent. On 27 June 2025, Liverpool officially announced him as the club’s third-choice goalkeeper.
He made his Premier League debut for Liverpool on 19 April 2026, after he was brought in as a substitute for Mamardashvili in the 59th minute in the Merseyside derby against Everton, which ended in a 2:1 victory in favour of Liverpool.
Liverpool offered Woodman a new contract on 23 July 2026, as the club saw him as a solid backup option for the main goalkeepers.
PROFILE
Full Name: Frederick Woodman
Date of Birth: 4 March 1997
Nationality: English
Position: Goalkeeper
Preferred Foot: Right
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Current Club: Liverpool FC
Squad Number: 28
Player Achievement
| Achievement | Year |
|---|---|
| FIFA U20 World Cup winner | 2017 |
| FIFA U20 World Cup Golden Gloves | 2017 |
| UEFA European U17 Championship Winner | 2014 |
| Championship Golden Gloves | 2021 |
| Preston North End Player of the Year | 2022/2023 |
