Ian Rush claims Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn has more skill than Michael Owen and that the Wales super talent must leave Anfield on loan.
The 18-year-old shot to prominence for his country with the winner in the World Cup qualifier against Austria earlier this year.
Jurgen Klopp has already introduced him to the Reds' first team with comparisons to Michael Owen already drawn, but Kop hero Rush believes the youngster has more to his game than the former Real Madrid forward.
"He's a bit like Michael Owen, he's quick, but he's got a bit more skill than Michael," said Rush, speaking exclusively to Mirror Football .
"He won't score as many goals as Michael. He's a bit like myself when I was a youngster, he can play with both feet."
Rush is high on Woodburn and his future in the game but insists the Reds must treat him carefully in order to fulfil his exceptional potential.
"He can go wherever he wants to," Rush claimed. "But he needs to be playing football.
"He plays more for Wales than Liverpool, so maybe he can go out on loan. He may be too good for the Under-23s. It's a delicate situation.
"You can't go a year without playing some top class football. It'll be interesting to see what he does in the next six months.
"I'd love to see him go out on loan in January in the Premier League, I've known him since he was 12 or 13. All he wants to do is play football.
"He needs a challenge, whether it's with the first team, he needs to play competitive football. It'd be a good thing for him [to go out on loan]."
- Ian Rush was speaking at the 2017 FAW McDonald’s Kit Handover with Brickfield Rangers, courtesy of McDonald’s Kit Scheme which has now given away 250,000 free kits in the UK. For more information visit: www.mcdonalds.co.uk/betterplay