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Sunderland news: Liverpool make firm decision on Ben Woodburn loan move
SUNDERLAND’s hopes of signing Liverpool wonderkid Ben Woodburn have suffered a fatal blow.
Liverpool are refusing to let Ben Woodburn join Sunderland on loan
Chris Coleman wanted the 18-year-old forward on a loan deal until the end of the campaign and the Daily Mail claimed an agreement had been struck between the two clubs.
But Jurgen Klopp was reportedly refusing to rubber-stamp Woodburn’s move to the Stadium of Light as he was assessing his attacking options as a result of Philippe Coutinho’s £142million move to Barcelona.
And, according to The Sun, the Liverpool boss has now vetoed Woodburn’s departure.
Sunderland are in dire need of attacking reinforcements after seeing Lewis Grabban and James Vaughan depart.
Josh Maja, 19, and Joel Astro, 18, are the only forwards on the Black Cats’ books.
Coleman hoped his links to Woodburn would smooth out any potential problems in signing the Liverpool forward on loan.
Ben Woodburn has made one appearance for Liverpool this season
The former Wales boss handed Woodburn his international debut in September and he hit a stunning goal against Austria on his maiden appearance.
The Chester-born starlet has featured just once - in the Carabao Cup - for Liverpool this season.
Despite a number of the club’s young stars finding it difficult to break into the first team, Klopp indicated last month that he wouldn’t send them all out on loan.
“We will see,” he said. “These boys are all really close, much closer than you can see when I do the squad.
Chris Coleman handed Ben Woodburn his international debut in September
“We have to decide at one point if it makes sense that they stay. For a lot of them, it makes sense that they stay here because we need them. For a few, maybe it makes a little bit less sense.
“We will see and nothing is decided so far. We will see which clubs are asking and then we have to make a decision whether it is good for the boy or not and all these things.
“But, really, for most of them there will be no transfer window. They will stay here.”
Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic sealed a loan move to Cardiff City yesterday.