Boss explains future plans for Brewster and Woodburn
Rhian Brewster and Ben Woodburn will continue to get chances at Liverpool next season – but within the framework of careful management of their progress.
Woodburn became the youngest goalscorer in Reds history last November, when he came off the bench to coolly score at the Kop end against Leeds United.
The forward has featured on eight occasions in total for the first team in 2016-17 as Jürgen Klopp has trusted the talent emerging from the club’s Academy.
Brewster, meanwhile, was named on the bench for the Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace last month, after a breakthrough campaign that started with the U18s.
“I know what we want to do but I will not talk about this now,” said Klopp of the current plans for the pair next term.
“It is not about keeping a position for them – they are too young for this. They have to develop, they have to learn. They have 17-year or 18-year careers ahead of them.
“They need to be prepared for the moment when they are really proper players and until then we use them when we need to. We involve them when we think they are ready.
“It should not be the case that we are relying on them for next season, but there will always be space for them to perform in a few matches if they are ready in this moment.
“Because boys like this have ups and downs, ups and downs, if there is a game they could play but they are not in the right shape then they will not play.”