Harry Wilson has long been one of the outstanding players in Liverpool’s youth ranks, and this pre-season has seen the spotlight fall on him once again.
With the club’s international stars still recovering after the World Cup, and some of them still taking part having reached the semi-finals, Wilson has been able to take centre stage in pre-season training in one last attempt to convince Jurgen Klopp he can make the step up.
He scored twice in their opening friendly against non-league Chester, and looks set to feature throughout the club’s 2018/19 warm-up matches.
Along with Ben Woodburn, Wilson is not only one of the biggest home-grown talents at Liverpool, but is also a future star of the Welsh national team. He’s three years older than his compatriot, though, and might expect to be further on in his progression at club level than he is currently.
At 21 years old, this season could be important in terms of his development, and the player will no doubt be looking to finally make an impact in the first team at Anfield, rather than going out on loan again.
“There’s a lot of us young ones who’ve either come back from loan or made the step up from the U23s,” he said.
“I think with the players still away on World Cup duty, that gives us that extra opportunity so we’re all desperate to take it and when the World Cup boys come back we’ll be wanting to stay in this team."
Despite captaining and regularly starring for Liverpool’s under-23 side, Wilson has found the step up more difficult than the likes of Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold have.
This may have something to do with the philosophy he speaks of, as Klopp wants players who buy into this way of playing, 100 percent.
“I think every time you get the chance to play for Liverpool’s first team you’ve got to give it your all and show the manager what you can do with the ball and without the ball, because we all know that’s the philosophy we want to play with,” he added.
“When we lose the ball we want to win it back as quickly as possible and that’s what we try to do.”This may be the year it clicks for Wilson, and his comments reflect an understanding of what is required to play in this Liverpool team. Even the attackers need to defend, and there have been signs in his performances for Wales that he is able to follow such instruction.
He scored his first goal for his country with an impressive strike against China on the day of his 21st birthday, and he looks to be in the frame for future Welsh squads, even alongside the similarly left-footed and attack-minded Gareth Bale.
Wilson has played most roles across the front three and in attacking midfield, and has also operated as a striker during his time in Liverpool’s youth teams.
While on loan at Hull City towards the end of last season, he played on the left or right wing, but you get the impression that, should he need to move on from Liverpool, a top flight team would jump at the chance to sign him and use him as a left footer cutting in from the right.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic have shown interest in the player, and the Northern Irish boss will know the player’s talents from his own time at Liverpool. However, should Klopp indicate that the player is available, there would be a number of teams chasing his signature. A move abroad to a league such as the Bundesliga — the new home of young British talent — wouldn’t be out of the question.
The player is set to sign a new contract which will provide hope that a role is available at Liverpool, should he impress Klopp.
"The dream of mine is to play regularly for Liverpool's first team," he said.
"At the moment I am getting the chance to train at Melwood and get minutes in the friendlies and my aim is to impress the manager and stay here. If that's not possible then we will weigh up the options and go from there.
"Everyone wants to start games. If that's not the case and you're on the bench then you need to be ready to come on and make an impact."
Wilson has just one Liverpool first team appearance to his name, coming on for 25 minutes in an FA Cup 3rd Round tie against Plymouth in January 2017. In contrast, Woodburn has 11, including six in the Premier League, and both players will be looking to push on this season.
Given Wilson’s age it might not be overdramatic to say it’s now or never for him at Liverpool, but should it turn out to be the latter, there will be no shortage of takers for the Welshman and he could go on to be a star elsewhere.
