Ben Woodburn has posted a heartfelt message to Liverpool fans after he left his boyhood club on a permanent basis to join Championship outfit Preston – prompting Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold to react.
Woodburn, 22, will be remembered for busting onto the scene at Anfield – breaking Michael Owen’s record as the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer. He netted in a 2-0 win over Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.
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But he only ever managed 11 senior outings for the Reds – that being his solitary goal. He has been out on loan four times – to Sheffield United, Blackpool, Oxford United and most-recently, Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
After just five goal involvements in 30 games, Hearts chose not to sign him permanently. Instead, he has signed a one-year deal at Preson after undergoing a trial. He thanked Liverpool fans with a touching post on Instagram.
Henderson and Alexander-Arnold react: Woodburn has left Liverpool
A move to Preston is a brilliant one for Woodburn. Clearly, there is a player in the 11-time Wales international but it is about finding a way to draw that out of him. Going on loan time after time was not the answer.
Now finding a permanent home at Preston, where he has signed a one-year deal – with the option of another – might just do that. Given his loan failures, to end up in the Championship is a great move for the attacker.
Plenty of Liverpool players responded – past and current, and both senior and young. They include Henderson, Alexander-Arnold, Nat Phillips, Tyler Morton and Basel attacker Liam Millar.
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