Wales youngster Ben Woodburn set for loan in Netherlands
Woodburn joined Oxford on a season-long loan deal [Image: Lewis Mitchell]
Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn is set for a season-long loan with Sparta Rotterdam.
Moves to Ipswich Town and Portsmouth had been mooted but 20-year-old’s destination now looks to be in the Eredivise with Henk Fraser’s side.
The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce confirmed that Woodburn is to join the oldest side in Dutch football for the 2020/21 season.
Welsh players such as Cian Harries, George Thomas and Matthew Smith have spent loan spells in the Netherlands in recent years.
Now Woodburn is set to become eighth Welsh player to play in the Dutch top flight.
It is understood that Pep Lijdners has been a driving factor in the deal which will see Woodburn play abroad.
Liverpool’s assistant manger worked with him as Under-16s coach during his time in the academy.
The Liverpool Echo reports that Klopp’s right-hand man believes time spent in such a league will benefit the player through development and game time.
Woodburn was recently called up to the Wales senior squad but was an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Finland.
He wasn’t listed in the match day squad for the victory over Bulgaria, in which his Reds teammate Neco Williams scored the winner.
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)
