Liverpool’s pre season preparations are firmly underway and this summer represents one of immense opportunity for the 21-year-old winger.
Shaqiri is 20/67 to join Liverpool this summer.
The question that will linger throughout pre-season until the close of the transfer window and the start of the new league season; what next for Harry Wilson?
This may be the Welsh international’s final chance to break into the Liverpool first team and the two goals he scored at Chester although have shown his talent, have brought on the beginning of a metaphorical crossroads.
Harry Wilson scores his second of the game after a delightful ball from Curtis Jones.
Both deserve a chance in the first team this season. pic.twitter.com/wszv47F1aI
— Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) July 7, 2018
Wilson is back at Melwood with his stock arguably at the highest it’s ever been after a successful loan spell at Championship strugglers Hull City.
Flourishing in a side that was fighting to avoid a drop to League One, Wilson revelled in that pressurised environment to score 7 goals in 14 games which is a fantastic return for a young footballer getting his first real taste of senior football.
His form on Humberside caught the attention of Wales manager Ryan Giggs who called him up to the squad for the post-season friendlies in China.
Giggs gave Wilson his first start for his country and the winger took his chance, scoring in a 6-0 win on his 21st birthday.
All this has contributed to putting Wilson in his strongest position yet in his career and heightened his taste for forging a career at Anfield.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.tv on his return to training at Melwood last week, Wilson said: “I’ve been looking forward to it all summer, coming back and getting started again.
“With the loan spell behind me, I’ve got a lot of confidence and belief that this season can be my season.”
And why could it not be?
There is still an element of the unknown about Wilson and his playing style because he has not really been given a chance in the first team, making just one senior appearance as a substitute in the FA Cup tie at Plymouth Argyle the season before last.
There is talent and potential in Wilson that is clear to see. His form at Hull proved that he can certainly cut it at that level but this is also a player that was captain of the U23 side two seasons ago in a campaign where he bagged close to 30 goals.
Adding to this, before moving to Hull last season he netted 10 in 12 for the U23 team.
This is a player who knows where the net is and how to find it, but does he have the ability to find it regularly in THIS Liverpool team?
Harry Wilson to sign new Liverpool contract. Loan move likely with interest from Aston Villa, Leeds, Derby, Stoke, Hull, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Preston, QPR, Reading, Swansea and WBA and others
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) July 10, 2018
It is no secret that Klopp is looking to bolster his attacking options, particularly to offer cover to Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah.
Links to Xherdan Shaqiri and Nabil Fekir have suggested this but Wilson could well offer a potential option from within the current squad. Fekir to join Liverpool this summer is 5/4.
Now is the chance for Wilson to prove he can contribute.
With Firmino still currently representing Brazil at the World Cup and Mane and Salah enjoying a well earned break for the next few weeks there is ample opportunity for Wilson to get a prolonged run to impress the manager.
Flourishing in pre season has proven in the past a way to force yourself into Jurgen Klopp’s plans for the impending campaign, just look at Alberto Moreno.
Moreno had spent an entire season watching James Milner play in his position at left back but took his opportunity to impress in pre-season last summer, including a pulsating performance against Bayern Munich, and worked his way into the first team for the following season.
Its all down to Wilson now but there is nothing to say next season Anfield is graced by a Welsh winger.
The next few weeks could be make or break for Harry Wilson.
