Gary McAllister Calls for Liverpool to Re-Sign Harry Wilson on Free Transfer
Gary McAllister knows the value of a free transfer at Liverpool better than most. Now he wants his old club to repeat the trick.
The former Anfield midfielder believes Liverpool should be in the race to re-sign Harry Wilson this summer, with the Wales international set to leave Fulham at the end of his contract.
Wilson, 29, will be available on a free after failing to agree new terms following five years at Craven Cottage. In that time he has become a proven Premier League performer, making 187 appearances, scoring 36 goals and supplying 46 assists for Fulham.
For McAllister, that profile – and that price – should place Liverpool firmly in the conversation.
A Liverpool education, a Fulham finished article
Wilson is no stranger to Anfield. He came through Liverpool’s Academy and was long viewed as one of the standout talents of his age group, but his senior career on Merseyside never truly started. He managed only two first‑team appearances, spending most of his time out on loan at Crewe Alexandra, Hull City, Derby County, Bournemouth and Cardiff City before an initial loan at Fulham turned into a permanent move.
McAllister, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Coventry City in 2000 and became a cult hero under Gérard Houllier, sees a player who has fulfilled much of the promise first glimpsed on the academy pitches at Kirkby.
He recalls Wilson as a youngster who “always caught the eye” around Anfield, and believes the version now leaving Fulham looks remarkably similar in style, only sharpened and hardened by top-flight experience. The numbers support that view: consistent output over multiple seasons, a reliable right-sided threat who can both create and finish.
Wilson has also grown into a mainstay for his country. He has 69 caps for Wales and featured in all three of their matches at the last World Cup, adding tournament experience to his résumé.
Perfect timing for Liverpool’s reshuffle?
Liverpool’s right flank is entering a new era. Mohamed Salah has departed, taking with him a mountain of goals and an unmistakable presence. Hugo Ekitike, brought in as part of the attacking refresh, is now facing a long-term injury lay-off.
That combination of loss and uncertainty leaves Liverpool light in wide attacking areas. Wilson, a left-footed right winger schooled in Liverpool’s patterns and demands, suddenly looks like a very logical option – especially when the fee is zero.
McAllister sees a player now operating at what he calls the “top end” of the Premier League, one whose work-rate matches his technical quality. Passing range, goal threat, relentless running: the attributes that once marked Wilson out in the youth ranks now underpin his reputation in the senior game.
No shortage of suitors
Liverpool would not have a free run at their former academy product. Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton have all been strongly linked with a move for Wilson, whose contractual situation makes him one of the more attractive attacking options on the market.
Clubs in that bracket rarely ignore a proven Premier League wide player available without a transfer fee. McAllister expects “a lot of takers” and is adamant Liverpool should be one of them.
The question now is whether Anfield’s hierarchy see what one of their most successful free transfers of the modern era sees: a Liverpool-educated winger, in his prime, battle-tested in the Premier League and on the international stage, walking out of Craven Cottage for nothing.
In a summer of transition on Merseyside, can Liverpool really afford to let that opportunity pass to a rival?
