Ask staff at the Liverpool FC Academy to pick one youngster who they are convinced will make the grade at Anfield and one name repeatedly crops up.
Ben Woodburn showed why he’s so highly thought of with his stunning contribution to the Reds’ 3-0 win over Cardiff City in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night.
The 17-year-old attacker from Tattenhall near Chester broke the deadlock in style at Prenton Park.
Latching on to Adam Phillips’ pin-point 50-yard pass, Woodburn took the ball on his chest before expertly unleashing a volley over the stranded keeper.
It was a moment of individual brilliance from a gifted starlet whose reputation is blossoming.
Liverpool Under-18s coach Neil Critchley raved: “It was an unbelievable goal.
“I’m not sure how Ben did it with that swirling wind. To take it on his chest and put it over the keeper like that was an unbelievable bit of skill.”
Experienced youth coach Hughie McAuley, who was watching the game as a pundit for LFC TV, knows talent when he sees it having helped nurture the likes of Steven Gerrard during his time at the Academy.
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“Ben took it so well,” McAuley said. “He has that instinct around the penalty box.”
It wasn’t a one off. Woodburn boasts four goals in three appearances since the turn of the year.
He was the hero in the under-18s’ 3-0 win over Manchester United earlier this month with a classy double, including a remarkable overhead kick.
Woodburn, who attended Bishop Heber High School in Cheshire before moving to Rainhill High School, is so young that he doesn’t even have a profile under the list of under-21 and under-18 players on the club’s official website.
He was fast-tracked from Des Maher’s under-16s squad to the under-18s at the start of the season when he was only 15.
Blessed with pace, strength, skill and a lethal eye for goal, it’s no wonder that excitement over what he might go on to achieve is growing.
He has also proved his versatility having played anywhere along the front line as well as in an attacking midfield role.
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There have been comparisons with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey and they could one day play international football alongside each other with Woodburn having already captained Wales at under-17 level.
Maher spoke recently about Woodburn’s promotion to the under-18s along with defender Liam Coyle.
“I’ve worked with Ben for the last two seasons,” he said.
“He comes in every day and gives it everything he has got.
“I believe he is destined to make big steps in the game along with our young Scouser Liam, who has got so much desire and passion for the game.”
Woodburn is no stranger to Melwood as he’s part of the Futures Group - a selection of the most highly-rated Academy youngsters across the under-15 to under-21 age groups - who train there once a week under the guidance of first-team development coach Pep Lijnders.
Jurgen Klopp watches those sessions with interest. If Woodburn continues his eye-catching development then the Liverpool manager will be seeing plenty more of him.
First-team call up
Woodburn was part of the substitutes' bench for the Reds as they hosted Sunderland on November 26.