Jürgen Klopp has stated that it is possible Ben Woodburn could head out on loan again in the not too distant future.
The German tactician has confirmed that several clubs have professed an interest in adding the 19-year-old to their ranks.
The Welshman endured a tricky spell at Sheffield United for the first part of the campaign, given just the one start in the Championship by Chris Wilder – a game where he was hauled off at half-time.
Speaking to the official club website, Klopp said:
We have to see. There are a couple of clubs interested, but to be honest if these clubs don’t give me the guarantee that he will play, there is absolutely no reason from my point of view to give him on loan.
When we give players on loan, we don’t want to make them ready for life outside because that’s what we can do as well. We want to give them the opportunity to play football and for playing football you need to fight for your place, but that’s what they learn here as well. You don’t need to give them on loan so they learn this.
Football is, in parts, a ‘dirty business’ and people really forget immediately – if you have two or three games and are not that convincing, people think ‘oh, he lost it’ or whatever. Ben Woodburn is an outstanding talent, still pretty much a kid, and I am happy to see him here, running around, completely fit and really settled in the squad. He was that before.
The youngster’s career is facing adversity for what might well be the first time, and it will be a testament of his career to see how he moves forward from here – either at Anfield, or elsewhere.
