‘Glides with the ball’: International boss says Liverpool have an ‘outstanding’ talent; Klopp’s used him once

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Wales under-21 boss Paul Bodin has told BBC Sport that Liverpool have an outstanding young talent on their hands in Owen Beck, as he made a confident prediction about the left-back’s future.

Beck continues to catch the eye for club and country, ticking achievements off in the process.

He made his senior debut for the Reds in their recent Carabao Cup win over Preston North End at Deepdale. And he has now followed that with his first goal for Wales’ under-21s in this international break having made his bow at that level earlier this year.

He collected the ball out on the touchline on the left flank against Gibraltar. And he went on to dart into the box before finding the bottom corner after playing a one-two.

It was a moment of class from the 19-year-old. But it would appear that the goal would have come as absolutely no surprise to the man in dugout.

Bodin insisted that he has seen enough from Beck – whose great uncle is Liverpool legend Ian Rush – to believe that he is destined to play regularly at the highest level for club and country.

“There’s no doubt in the coming months, coming years for sure, that Owen will be around their first-team and he’ll play in Liverpool’s team I’m sure,” he told BBC Sport.

“He’s an outstanding young talent, left-footed. He glides with the ball, as well as being a very good defender. His goal that he scored for us the other evening, the first goal to get us going, was typical of Owen really.”

Beck can look to put pressure on countryman at Liverpool

Of course, Liverpool fans will not be expecting to see Beck feature regularly anytime soon. As is the case in many positions, the Reds look to be incredibly strong at left-back.

But he can perhaps set his sights on putting a little pressure on one of his countrymen.

Neco Williams was outstanding last week as Wales’ senior side beat Belarus.

Williams is mainly a right-back. However, he shone in the 5-1 win on the opposite flank, perhaps showing Klopp that he has the ability to provide cover in that position.

It is too soon for Beck to be vying with Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. But he could potentially look at catching Williams as the next hurdle towards realising the potential he clearly has.