Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn wanted by Sunderland, Leeds, Norwich and Preston on loan
Championship clubs are circling in a bid to sign the 18-year-old Wales striker for the rest of the season - with his former national boss Chris Coleman leading the interest
LIVERPOOL youngster Ben Woodburn has FOUR clubs scrapping to sign him in January’s biggest tug-of-war.
The Wales forward, 18, has Leeds, Norwich and Preston joining Sunderland in the race to land him for the rest of the campaign.
Black Cats boss Chris Coleman has made the teenager his No1 target for the window but now faces major competition to secure one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League.
Cookie is among the Championship managers who have been encouraged that Jurgen Klopp could let Woodburn out for experience.
He is expected to eventually be a first-team regular at Anfield – but Klopp is open to the idea of him having a spell in the second tier.
Woodburn has made one appearance for Klopp this season, in the EFL Cup clash against Leicester.
But he has also been rewarded for his progress with a new contract and scored on his international debut, aged 17, to make him Wales’ second youngest scorer.
Klopp insisted: "Our target is that we have him in the first-team because we like him, we see his quality and that's the main thing.”
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Before Coleman quit as Wales boss, he used Woodburn against Austria, Moldova, Georgia, Ireland, France and Panama.
Last term Woodburn broke Michael Owen's record by becoming Liverpool's youngest goalscorer, netting against Leeds aged 17 years and 45 days.
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But this season the Fab Four of Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah have dominated the Liverpool frontline.
And if any of those fearsome names are missing then England hitman Daniel Sturridge, plus Dominic Solanke and Danny Ings, are ahead of Woodburn in the pecking order.
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