Having been omitted from the Liverpool squad for the Champions League group stage, Harry Wilson is now set for talks over a drop down to the Championship on loan.
UEFA confirmed the Reds’ 24-man squad to take on Ajax, Atalanta and FC Midtjylland in this season’s group stage of the Champions League, with Wilson a notable omission.
This came despite there being room for the Welshman in Jurgen Klopp‘s group, with Wilson eligible as a homegrown and club-trained player, which are invaluable given UEFA’s guidelines.
Wilson was due to leave Liverpool in the summer transfer window, but Burnley‘s offer worth up to £16 million was rejected, and unlike Xherdan Shaqiri – who also stayed – the 23-year-old is left in limbo.
He could still be named in Klopp’s Premier League squad, but according to the Evening Standard‘s David Lynch, Wilson is now due for talks over a possible loan switch when he returns from international duty with Wales.
But with the majority of transfer windows now closed across Europe, the most feasible destination for the winger is the Championship.
Premier League sides are able to conduct business with sides in the Championship and below until 5pm on October 16, which gives Wilson time to consider his future as Wales’ last game of the break is on October 14.
It has been speculated that Liverpool could agree a season-long loan with the obligation to buy if the club in question were to secure promotion to the Premier League.
In many ways, this is a sensible deal, particularly if the Reds can negotiate a £20 million fee as they were hoping earlier in the window, and it is likely that many sides would be interested, including Bournemouth.
But after a campaign with the Cherries in the Premier League last season, it would be a cruel step down for Wilson to move back to the Championship for 2020/21.
Though it was a hit-and-miss season for the Welshman at Dean Court, Wilson still finished as Bournemouth‘s second-top scorer in all competitions, having struck seven goals including a stunning free-kick against Man City.
It was previously claimed that if Liverpool were unable to reach a deal that met their price tag, Wilson would stay as part of Klopp’s squad until at least January, but a failure to sell Shaqiri appears to have put paid to that.
While returning to the Championship will give Wilson the game time he requires – which would not be on offer at Anfield – it is a strange situation to find himself in, having seen the prospect of a move to Burnley dismissed.
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