Rumour Mongering: Ben Woodburn Set for Another Loan?

There’s no doubt that Ben Woodburn is among the most talented young players on the books at Liverpool, and certainly seen as a future Wales star.

This is why it was so frustrating to see his loan at Sheffield United fizzle out with almost no playing time. The 19 year old just didn’t seem to fit in at Bramall Lane for whatever reason, and the Championship high fliers cut their losses with a return to Anfield.

Now it seems possible that Woodburn could be on the move again. The Mirror report (right down the page if you scroll endlessly, but we’ll save you the time and give you the good stuff here) that West Bromwich Albion are interested in taking the attacking midfielder on loan. The Baggies have recovered well from last year’s relegation, with now permanent manager Darren Moore getting the side currently in the playoff places, and promotion is surely the target for them this season. Attacking midfielder Harvey Barnes has been recalled by Leicester after his excellent form, and Woodburn is apparently seen as an option to replace him.

The Mirror also claim that two other Championship sides are interested in Woodburn, with Wigan said to be among them.

What Liverpool do next with Woodburn is an interesting question. There is an obvious temptation to make sure he gets regular first team minutes this year. With the way things are going at the moment, it seems very unlikely that he can break into this Liverpool side right now. The club being out of the cup competitions denies him some minutes he could have conceivably played here.

On the other hand, after a bad experience, it would be understandable to keep him closer to home. Either scenario could lead to another lost six months, which would further harm Woodburn’s prospects at such a critical point in his career. There’s no doubting the talent, but the next juncture could shape Woodburn’s path for several years to come.