Along the way to earning a reputation as one of the best sporting directors in the business, Michael Edwards has barely put a foot wrong at Liverpool.
Data-obsessed and brilliant at identifying the right player at the right time, Edwards became the envy of the football world as he made great decision after great decision.
Although his part in last summer’s transfer business remains under question, there is little doubt that Liverpool would not have won the trophies they have in the past decade were it not for their recruitment maestro.
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However, nobody is perfect, and even Edwards has made the odd mistake during his years pulling the strings at Anfield.
Until recently, not many would have put the decision to sell Harry Wilson for £12m in 2021 into that category. But as the Welshman continues his run of terrific form at Fulham, it is clear that Liverpool could really use him right now.
Harry Wilson would get into Liverpool’s team
After goals in back-to-back games against Liverpool and Chelsea, Wilson has now found the net seven times in the Premier League this season. Having also registered four assists, the 28-year-old sits joint-fifth for goal contributions in the division.
At a time when Liverpool have the measliest of attacking options, it is not a stretch to say that Wilson would get into Arne Slot‘s XI right now.
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That is not to say that Edwards and Liverpool made a mistake in selling Wilson. He left five years ago and while he has proven to be a solid Premier League player, he has not done anything especially spectacular.
But if Slot could go back in time to 2021, he would perhaps at least have stuck a buyback clause in Liverpool’s deal.
Furthermore, he may have kiboshed the move entirely. Who’s to say Wilson would not have become an even better player had he been allowed the time to flourish at Liverpool?
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Five years is a long time in football, and there’s no guarantee that Wilson would still be at Liverpool had he stayed in 2021. But as he is now showing regularly at Craven Cottage, there was always a quality player in there. Maybe the Reds jumped the gun too soon.
Could Wilson return to Liverpool?
One interesting point surrounding Wilson and his terrific form is that he will become a free agent at the end of the season.
As Liverpool search for new attacking options, perhaps a conversation will begin to start around the Wales international.
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Granted, if everyone is fit at Liverpool he does not get into the team. But the Reds need homegrown players within their squad and having put up the numbers he has this season, there is an argument that bringing Wilson home would make some sense.
This season has underlined the fact that Liverpool can never have too many attacking options. But if Wilson were to take Federico Chiesa’s place in this squad for example, would the Reds be really any worse off?
Ultimately, it seems unlikely that the Fulham man’s Liverpool story will be reignited. Edwards deemed it to be over once before and it would be a surprise if he changes his mind on that. On the back of what we’ve seen recently, however, maybe Liverpool’s transfer guru did make the wrong call half a decade ago.
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