Former Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy has suggested that Ben Woodburn seek a loan move in order to fix his bad habits.
The current Sky Sports pundit, who played 51 times for the Reds across two different spells, shared that the 18-year-old winger needed regular senior football in order to blossom in to the player that everyone thinks he’s going to be.
Bellamy shared that Woodburn needs to iron out the bad habits he has gotten away with at U-23 level and stated that he should seek to play regular football for next season even if it meant departing Anfield for the time being.
“Harry Wilson had to go on a little bit of a different route, and for Ben Woodburn, this year is going to be key,” said Bellamy, as quoted by Wales Online.
“He’s an extremely talented footballer, but he needs game-time. Last year was fine, he didn’t need it as much because he was still learning the trade.
“But now he needs men’s football. He might get it at Liverpool because I know how highly they think of him there but if he doesn’t he’s got to go somewhere else and get it.
“He just needs to play the game against men week in week out, because bad habits will go then.
“Under-23’s football doesn’t give you that. They get away with bad habits. He needs those ironed out then he’ll be the player we all think he’s going to be.”
Woodburn who can feature as a winger, attacking midfielder or be deployed as a secondary striker has made 11 appearances for the Reds’ senior side in his career so far.
OPINION
Bellamy is right to suggest that the 5ft 7in Reds attacker (Transfermarkt) would benefit from playing regular senior football as it would help him take the next step in his development. While the former Reds forward suggests that Woodburn may have a chance at featuring at Anfield next season, it seems likely that he won’t get enough senior football if he sticks around next season. The 18-year-old winger would face tough competition at the Reds and would likely only get an opportunity to feature in cup competitions. It’s good to hear that Woodburn is highly thought of Anfield, at least according to Bellamy, as clearly based on the glimpses seen of him so far he has tremendous potential to succeed at the club. Given that the winger has a flourishing reputation if the Reds made it clear that they were looking to loan the player out then a host of Championship clubs would no doubt come calling vying for his services.
