Liverpool midfielder Ben Woodburn has joined Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian on a season-long loan for the 21/22 season.
The 21-year-old will be part of Robbie Nielsen’s squad, who currently sit third in the league on goal difference after three games with seven points earned out of nine.
Woodburn has only made 11 appearances for Liverpool’s senior side since 2016 and has spent time on loan in the lower tiers of English football.
The Liverpool academy product has not played for the side since the 2017/18 season when he played for the final minutes of the season against Brighton.
He became the side’s youngest-ever goalscorer (17 years 45 days) against Leeds United in the EFL Cup in his second appearance for the club but has not been able to break into Klopp’s side.
Woodburn has earned 10 caps for Wales and scored two goals for the national side in that time.
The Welsh international has a year left on his contract with Liverpool and wanted the loan move so he could get regular game time under his belt.
The winger has previously spent time on loan at Sheffield United, Oxford United and Blackpool in the second and third-tiers of English football.
The prospect failed to make an impression with the Blades and a fractured foot brought a premature end to a promising loan spell with Oxford.
He spent four months on loan at former Liverpool U23 boss Neil Critchley’s Blackpool and got minutes under his belt but failed to make an impact during his time there as he contracted Covid-19.
He impressed during pre-season for Jürgen Klopp’s men, earning praise from the manager and assistant Pepijn Lijnders, and was named on the bench for the Premier League season-opener at Norwich City.
Woodburn will now seek to build up game time with Hearts, who continue their campaign with a trip to Dundee United on Saturday.
