Cambridge United sign former Liverpool keeper

Kai McKenzie-Lyle has increased the competition for Cambridge United's goalkeeper's shirt after signing on a two-year deal.

The 22-year-old former Liverpool and Barnet shotstopper will contest with Dimitar Mitov and Callum Burton to become the U's No 1 for the 2020/21 campaign.

McKenzie-Lyle started in the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur, before joining Barnet at under-14 level and making his way through to the Bees first team by 2015. After a successful trial with Liverpool, he had a two-year spell at Anfield, featuring for the under-23s, and has also represented Guyana on five occasions.

"I'm delighted to be a part of the football club. The trial was great, I've loved every minute about being back in a training ground environment with the rest of the team," said McKenzie-Lyle.

"As soon as I arrived, it felt like a well-run club with good people, and that is always the thing you look for first.

"It is a tight-knit bunch between the goalkeepers here, as is often the case when you work with each other every day. Myself, Dimi (Mitov), Callum (Burton) have pushed each other on every day of pre-season so far. That has been positive, and already Mark Bunn (United's goalkeeping coach) has been good to learn from.

"For me, it feels like the stage in my career where I want to be kicking on, building up a good number of League games and showing everyone what I'm about. Cambridge United feels like the perfect place to do that."

Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner added: "Kai has performed well in training during a short trial period with us and is deserving of this opportunity.

"He has lots of potential and will create healthy competition daily with our goalkeepers under Mark Bunn's guidance.

"He will likely gather his game development on loan in the first instance whilst training with us and trying to force his way into the team throughout his time here.

"We are pleased to add a player with his potential to our squad as we have highlighted the need for an additional goal keeper in our planning from the outset to challenge the existing two professionals and to create the right number of players to facilitate the type of training environment we need."

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