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Things Keep Getting Better For Ben Woodburn

Things Keep Getting Better For Ben Woodburn

It's been an incredible few months for the 17-year-old

Joe Baiamonte

Joe Baiamonte

Last November, Ben Woodburn became Liverpool's third youngest debutant of all time and the youngest ever player to score for the Anfield club. This month, Woodburn scored on his international debut for Wales and things are set to get even better for the 17-year-old.

Woodburn's 25-yard, match winning strike against Austria five days ago made the Reds' youngster his country's second youngest ever goalscorer, behind Gareth Bale and now his heroics for club and country are set to earn him a new long-term deal at Anfield.

At the moment, Woodburn can only commit to a deal that is a maximum of three years in length due to his age, but following his 18th birthday on 15th October, the young forward will be able to put pen to paper on the five-year deal Liverpool are set to offer him.


Woodburn, who came off the bench to assist Hal Robson-Kanu's goal against Moldova on Tuesday night, has shot to prominence under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp at club level and Chris Coleman at international level, although Klopp was initially concerned about the teenager being called up to the Wales squad at such a young age.

When the 17-year-old was called up for Wales' World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in March, Klopp had been annoyed that he wasn't consulted on the matter, but the German coach is now happy with how Woodburn has been treated by Coleman.

"Jurgen Klopp felt it was a bit early for Ben but we've all got opinions which is what is great about football," Coleman said in a recent interview. "I felt that if he was in the first team for Liverpool, which he is after scoring that great debut goal in-front of the Kop, then he was ready for us.


"We weren't going to start him in both games and play him for 90 minutes, we were going to be choosy with when we use him, but he's a good young talent that's for sure.

"He's very young and we have to take it slow unless we're forced to and then we'll have to be careful."

To emphasise just how highly Klopp rates Woodburn, the Liverpool manager has retained the 17-year-old as part of his squad for this season, rather than opting to send him out on loan to gain first team experience. It is expected that Woodburn could start the Reds' League Cup tie against Leicester City on the 19th September.

(H/T The Telegraph)

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Liverpool, Football, Wales