Liverpool midfielder Ben Woodburn is not set to play again until 2019 after injuring his ankle on loan at Sheffield United, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The newspaper reports on its website that the 19-year-old has gone back to Liverpool in order to receive treatment after hurting himself during a training session with the Championship outfit.
They add that it is not yet known how much damage there is to the ankle, but the attacking midfielder is not expected to return to action until the start of 2019.
He has only made eight appearances for the Blades this season, with his last outing coming on November 3 – which means it is possible he will be recalled by the Reds next month.
It is understood Woodburn attended Sunday’s win against Manchester United using crutches and wearing a protective boot on his left foot.
OPINION
Woodburn was no doubt frustrated with his lack of game time at Liverpool, but that frustration will now be even more heightened now that he is set for a spell on the sidelines. This limited match time will not do much to heed his progress – in fact, it will just hamper it. Considering that he had not played for the second tier side since the beginning of November, it was unlikely that he was going to get game time anyway. It is a shame, as he is obviously a player who has a lot of potential to show off – he is just not being given the opportunity. Once he recovers from this setback, game time with Liverpool’s under-23s will do him the world of good, and it will no doubt help him regain his confidence again. However, getting first team experience with Sheffield United was vital – and it looks like he is not going to be getting any of that any time soon.
