Blackpool Send Liverpool Winger Home After Disappointing Half-Season Loan

While young Liverpool winger Harvey Elliott continues to impress with Blackburn Rovers this month, another Liverpool young winger quietly returned from a far less successful loan, as today Blackpool chose not to extend Ben Woodburn’s half-season loan.

Liverpool had sought a permanent new home for the 21-year-old Welsh wideman over the summer, but a potential move to the Netherlands failed to materialise and instead he joined Blackpool on loan after the international transfer window had slammed shut.

The hope was reuniting Woodburn with former Liverpool youth coach Neil Critchley would ensure playing time. Unfortunately, Woodburn made just four starts and eleven total appearances. He returns without having scored a goal or assist for Blackpool.

Given Blackpool currently sit 14th in League One, it’s hard to see anything positive in today’s news—of Woodburn being returned to Liverpool after being unable to get regular playing time under a former youth coach for a side in the third tier of English football.

Still, if he wasn’t going to see the pitch at Blackpool, a return to the Reds and perhaps another half-season loan with a club that might have more of a need for him is preferable to seeing him remain at the League One side only to sit on the bench.