OPINION
With Aston Villa reportedly in talks to sign Ben Woodburn on loan, Liverpool must send him to their Midland rivals West Brom instead.
As reported by the Telegraph, Villa have opened talks with the Reds over signing Woodburn on a loan deal next season after their transfer embargo was lifted. They reportedly beat competition from Wigan Athletic and Sheffield United for his signature.
However, Jurgen Klopp should cut off talks with Bruce straight away because it’s the wrong club for Woodburn to go to.
The Villans have got a massive squad, so the 18-year-old faces loads of competition and is by no means guaranteed first-team football at Villa Park. There has also been constant upheaval at the Midlands club in recent years, with financial problems, poor seasons and now a change of ownership.
Who’s to say that, if Bruce loses a few of his opening games, the owners won’t make a change? Then, what if the new manager doesn’t fancy him? It would be disastrous for the young lad’s development.
That’s why a loan move to West Brom would be more beneficial for all parties. The squad is bare, with loads of departures and it’s full of other young players who are desperate to make their mark. The manager Darren Moore is a former youth team coach and knows how to deal with young players. He knows how to coach them, how to motivate them and how to get the best out of them.
It’s also a side with a better attacking philosophy, with the Baggies looking like they will go back to the fluid passing system that they had so much success with in years gone by.
This loan move could be a make or break moment for the young Welshman, who currently earns £12,000-per-week on his Anfield contract (Spotrac). He needs a manager with the bravery to play him on a regular basis, someone who will trust in his ability and to stick by him when things aren’t going so well. That manager is Darren Moore, not Steve Bruce.
