Harry Wilson Returns To Melwood A New Man

The winger had a successful loan spell with Derby County last season and is ready to make an impact, the question now is where.

One of the more successful loan stories of last year was that of Harry Wilson playing for Frank Lampard’s Derby County. The 22 year old winger and Academy graduate scored 18 goals in 49 appearances for the Championship league side, and helped them reach the play-off final in Wembley to try for promotion. They didn’t end up winning, and the loan is complete, so Harry Wilson has returned to Melwood for the pre-season, with loads more experience and ready to put it to good use. Whether that’ll be for the senior Reds or another squad, is still up in the air.

“I feel I gained massive experience under a fantastic manager in Frank Lampard, who gave me the opportunity to go out and play week in, week out, express my ability and go out there with no fear. I felt confident throughout the season,” Wilson told the club website this week.

“To finish in the play-off places and then to have a great two games against Leeds to get us into the play-off final was great. We couldn’t quite do it in the final, which would have been really nice, but all in all it was a great season.

“I loved my time at Derby, it is a fantastic club. Last pre-season I had a few clubs who wanted me, but it was up to me, the club and my agent to come up with the right club. We felt we did that in Derby. I went there, played a lot of games and had a really good season both personally and as a team, so I am really happy with the way it went.

“I’m disappointed we couldn’t win the play-off final and get into the Premier League, which would have been an added bonus but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.”

Now that he’s back at Melwood, it’s time to prove that he can take all that he’s learned from Derby and put it to work going forward, either in front of Jürgen Klopp or for another team temporarily (or permanently). Wilson, to his credit, is ready for the challenge and to get back with our European Champions.

“[The plan is to] work hard,” the winger continued. “Now I am back here, it is up to me to try to impress the manager and get into the team.

“I was excited to get back and see the lads again. It was good to see the manager and the lads I haven’t been around for a while, to have a chat with them and see what they’ve been up to over the summer.

“Then getting back to work with them and putting each other through our paces, it’s been a productive couple of days.”

Of course, the next question is where and how he watched his friends and teammates become European Champions, an event he was determined not to miss.

“I went out to the Champions League final with a couple of the lads I played with in the youth teams. I was desperate to get out there, my season had finished a couple of days before the final so I was able to get tickets, book flights and go out there. It was fantastic to see the club win a sixth European Cup,” Wilson explained.

“I was flying home, so we didn’t get home in time to see the parade – and I was off with Wales the next day, so I didn’t have time to come back to Liverpool.

“I had to go back to Wales and focus on international duty because my season wasn’t over, but if I’d had a chance, I would have gone to watch it.”

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com