Rushden & Diamonds striker Lee Tomlin is to spend this week
training with European champions Liverpool, his assistant manager
Geoff Harrop has confirmed.
The 17-year-old has been a revelation for the Nene Park side since
making the step up from the youth academy to the first team squad
last October.
Just three of Tomlin's 18 appearances for the relegation-threatened
League Two strugglers have been starts but his performances coming
off the bench have been enough to catch they eye of the Barclays
Premiership side.
Tomlin will spend five days with the Reds at their Melwood training
ground and Harrop is hopeful of a big money move for the
player.
'We wouldn't send him to Liverpool if we didn't think there was the
possibility of a deal being struck somewhere down the line,' he
said.
'They don't have time to have a look at Lee just for the sake of it
- and neither do we.
'But one thing I would say to Rafael Benitez is get ready to get
your cheque book out because everyone at the club from the youth
development staff to (manager) Barry Hunter have spent a lot of
time and effort working very hard with him over the last couple of
years.
'He's a goalscorer, there's no doubt about that. He's sharp in the
box and he gets into the right positions, he has great awareness
and this is a good opportunity for him to show that at the highest
level.
'He'll enjoy himself at Liverpool and I'm sure he'll come back with
ideas about how he's going to be the next Robbie Fowler or Michael
Owen.'
