Oxford United boss Liam Manning has offered an update on his side’s chances of securing a deal for Liverpool man Max Woltman this summer.
Woltman, 19, spent part of last season on loan at Doncaster Rovers and the other part in Liverpool’s U21 side.
The 19-year-old attacker had a short term loan in League Two where he made 13 league appearances, but failed to contribute to a goal in the fourth tier.
However, upon his return to Liverpool he made 16 Premier League 2 outings and scored four times carrying on his trend in Liverpool’s youth sides which almost always sees him return an impressive goal rate.
Woltman has been training with League One side Oxford United this summer and a deal could still be reached, Manning has claimed. Speaking to the Oxford Mail on the situation, Manning said:
“We’re talking to Liverpool and exploring what that looks like.
“It’s more of a development project than it is coming in and impacting the team straight away.
“In terms of the personality he was and the character he showed, and some of the quality he showed in glimpses, I think he’s the type of player that fits how we want to play.
“When you look at competition in his position with Ruben [Rodrigues] and Billy [Bodin], what we don’t have is the next one coming up under that.”
A long term project
By the sounds of it Manning’s side are exploring a permanent deal for the youngster in hope of providing him with a senior environment he can consistently be part of in hope it fast tracks his development and matures him as a player.
Woltman’s Liverpool contract expires next summer so Oxford United may be able to get the prospect for a cut price, but it remains to be seen what sort of clauses Liverpool may or may not want involved in the deal.
League One would be the highest level of senior football the 19-year-old has played at, but he has shown all the signs he can be successful in the future.
As Manning mentioned there’s plenty of more experienced players in the dressing room already that Woltman would benefit from and given he has spent time training at the club this summer, it would make the transition easier should a deal be reached this summer.
That should help the player get off on the front foot if an agreement is reached.
