'I remember': Sadio Mane told Liverpool youngster he was going to become a 'big player' but he's now in League Two

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Ferdinand was keen to ask Mane about a number of his former Liverpool teammates, including his relationship with Trent Alexander-Arnold.After hailing the right-back’s qualities, Mane interestingly recalled how Alexander-Arnold’s breakthrough arrived as fellow youngster Ben Woodburn also looked like becoming a star.While one Liverpool academy graduate went on to fulfil his potential, the other clearly did not. Nevertheless, Mane has given another reminder of just how highly rated Woodburn was at Anfield.Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty ImagesSadio Mane tipped Ben Woodburn for big thingsAs Mane arrived in the summer of 2016, both Alexander-Arnold and Woodburn were on the fringes of the first-team.During the 16/17 campaign, the two youngsters had their breakthrough moments.

Nine years later, Woodburn has only just been replaced as Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer by Rio Ngumoha.READ MORE: Liverpool name their one condition to loan Trey Nyoni as multiple clubs begin to circleHis goal against Leeds in November 2016 would ultimately be his best moment for the Reds. Although he hung on until 2021, Woodburn ended up making only 11 appearances for Liverpool and now plies his trade with Salford City in League Two.

Nevertheless, Mane saw talent in the forward, and told Ferdinand how both Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold caught his attention as young players.“When I first came to Liverpool he [Alexander-Arnold] was a kid, honestly,” he said. When I left he became a man.”Why did Woodburn fail to secure Liverpool future?Woodburn’s case was always an interesting one during the earlier years of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool tenure.Klopp clearly rated Woodburn very highly, and the versatile forward was even on the bench during the 2019 Champions League final.However, the former Liverpool manager rarely used him, leading to a stagnation of his talents.