SHOOT for the Stars: Liverpool’s 17-year-old starlet Ben Woodburn

Inside one of Ben Woodburn’s old classrooms lies a wall. “Rainhall Liverpool FC Graduates” it reads. After a summer to remember, it feels like only a matter of time before a plaque with his name is erected.

“The next Aaron Ramsey” is the way many people perceive the midfielder. After an unforgettable pre-season, the Wales Under-17 captain is classed as the next big talent to emerge from the famous Kirkby academy; that’s not bad for a kid who has only just completed his GCSEs.

Born in October 1999, the Cheshire-born forward has been with Liverpool since the age of eight. He always was above par for his age and, by the age of 15, featured for the Red’s Under-18s. Despite being three years younger than some of opponents, he did not look out of place.

He continued to drop down to the Under-16’s for the good of his education; crucially, however, he remained humble at such an age group – showing his level-headed attitude to the beautiful game.

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However, by the end of last season, he was one of the Reds’ key men at Under-18 level; so much so that coach Neil Critchley just couldn’t take him out of the starting XI due to the amount of goals he scored and assists he provided.

By the start of pre-season this year, Woodburn was ready to prove to the management staff that he was ready to take his game to the next level. Just weeks after completing his exams, Woodburn featured for the first-team under manager Jurgen Klopp.

After a shining second-half display in the Reds’ first pre-season game of the season at Prenton Park, he perhaps thought things couldn’t get any better. But it did.

Just days later, he netted at Highbury Stadium, in Liverpool’s 5-0 thrashing over League One side Fleetwood Town. While Ryan Kent may take all of the plaudits for his fantastic run down the left which led to the goal, Wednesday 13, July, will surely be a day that Woodburn will never forget.

He is also rated in high regard with the FAW. Just two years prior to making the headlines with Liverpool’s first-team, Woodburn played a fundamental part in the Welsh’s Sky Sports Victory Shield triumph; beating England 1-0 in October 2014 to be crowned winners of this prestigious competition for the first time since 1949.

It only feels like a matter of time before the youngster gets his opportunity within Liverpool’s first-team set-up regularly. Whether that day comes in the coming weeks, or in three years’ time, there is no doubt Woodburn will have the attributes to sit-up and be counted for.

His composure is excellent, and level-headed approach implies that the midfielder will only get better.

His physical attributes are not bad too. His finishing is crisp; Woodburn is not afraid to strike outside of the 18-yard area, despite his finishing being certainly of a better standard within the opposition’s box.

It’s not just all about finishing, however. As we saw last campaign in the Under-18’s, Woodburn can provide some fantastic assists as well.

Continue at such a rate, and who knows where he could end up?