“Mason Mount cooked my dinner every day”

Harry Wilson played for Liverpool FC for 16 years. After five loans within England, the 24-year-old moved to Fulham in July. In an interview with SPOX and Goal, the Welsh international talks about his time in Liverpool and his sad farewell.

He does not blame Jürgen Klopp for his Liverpool exit, but is still disappointed with the few opportunities to play.

Mr Wilson, you were born in Wrexham, Wales, but lived all your youth in Liverpool. How does it feel to have finally left the club.

Harry Wilson: Spending 16 years with an association like this, which you and your family have always supported, is something special. While I’m sad to leave Liverpool there is so much to look forward to at Fulham. I can barely wait for it. It is exciting.

They left in the middle of the training camp in Austria to sign the contract. Were you able to say goodbye properly at all?

Wilson: No, I have to make up for that. The boys were playing a friendly against Mainz when the call came. I could still get away from Robbo [Andy Robertson], Virgil [van Dijk] and joe [Gomez] goodbye, but Jools [Ward, der stellvertretende Sportdirektor] and I had to hurry to catch the flight so I missed the rest of the guys.

How many are the reactions?

Wilson: My phone ran hot after the deal was through. (laughs) Adam Lallana was one of the first to congratulate me. That made me very happy. He was a big influence on me. From the first day I got to Melwood, he was the one who put his arm around me, the one who made me comfortable. I consider him a good friend now. Whenever I need advice, I speak to him.

They have been awarded to Hull City, Derby County, Bournemouth and Cardiff City. All of these clubs you will face in the championship with Fulham in the coming season. How did you come into contact with Fulham?

Wilson: When I was on vacation after the European Championship, coach Marco Silva called me.

And did he immediately convince you to move?

Wilson: If you change clubs, it has to be the coach who wants you. The owners and manager may like you, but the manager is the one who puts the crew together every weekend. He’s the one who matters. I felt that he understood my game. He told me what positions I would play in his team and how he wanted to use me. I felt like I would be a good match for him.

Harry Wilson in a profile

You only made two appearances for the Liverpool professional team: in the FA Cup and in the League Cup. Did you miss the appreciation you just mentioned under Jürgen Klopp?

Wilson: No. I’m not stupid. I know the quality of the Liverpool squad and I know I can’t play the way I want every week. Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mo Salah rarely miss a game, and their numbers are scary. They are also very strong behind the tips. There was no getting around for me. From my point of view, I’m of course a little disappointed that I didn’t get more chances. I’m disappointed that I wasn’t given at least half a season to prove that I deserved to be on this team.

When did you realize that your future might not lie with Liverpool?

Wilson: That was in 2019 when I got back from my loan deal at Derby County. I’ve had a really good season in the championship. We failed at the last hurdle in the playoff final, but my numbers and performances were good. In preparation for Liverpool we played a few games in England and then traveled to America and France. I’ve played pretty much every game, scored a few goals and felt like I was in a good position. Then we played Manchester City at the Community Shield at Wembley and I wasn’t in the squad. That hit me very much. I felt my chance was gone. That was when I began to accept that I had to go.

What is your favorite moment in your time at LFC?

Wilson: Getting my debut was great. That was the moment I have been working towards since I was eight and I will never forget it. But as far as individual moments are concerned, I scored a goal against Everton in the U18, a winning goal in the 94th I will always remember that. My coach at the time, Mick Beale, came on late. I was pissed off. I remember how he told me I was going to play a big part and, as always, he was right!

You are currently looking for an apartment in London and are receiving active support from Chelsea professional Mason Mount.

Wilson: That’s correct. He’s a good friend of mine. We lived together when we were both loaned out to Derby.

Who was in charge of this flat share?

Wilson: I had it in my hand. He cooked my dinner every day! (laughs)

How do you rate his career at Chelsea and the English national team?

Wilson: It’s great to see what he’s doing now. Everyone sees, week after week, what a top player he is. He is special.