Harry Wilson returns to Liverpool in full-circle moment and pivotal time

Harry Wilson's return to his former club Liverpool marks a full-circle moment at a pivotal stage of his career, with the winger approaching free agency following a standout season for Fulham.

Wilson joined Liverpool at the age of eight and spent 16 years at the club, leaving on five different loans and making just two first-team appearances before joining Fulham in 2021.

Now, he returns to Anfield, live on Sky Sports, as one of the most in-form players in the league.

Of players in the top flight, only Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Joao Pedro and Antoine Semenyo have more goal contributions than Wilson's tally of 10 goals and six assists.

Semenyo, who completed a £64m move from Bournemouth to Manchester City in January, leads the way in chances created (33) but is followed closely by the Fulham winger (31).

That places him in elite company and underlines why there will undoubtedly be a clamour for his services once his deal at Fulham expires this summer.

Sky Sports News reported Premier League teams showed an interest in Wilson during the January transfer window but Fulham wanted to keep the player long-term and have held contract talks.

In addition to that, Champions League clubs across Europe are also taking notice of Wilson's situation and fine form, as the Wales international edges closer to becoming one of the premium names on the free-agent market at the end of the season.

Expendable to dependable

"I wouldn't say I'm doing anything different. I think regular minutes and a rhythm really helps me," Wilson told Sky Sports back in December when asked to reveal the secrets behind his strong form.

"Even before I was at Fulham, I feel like I've played my best football when I've been playing game in, game out."

After starting just 12 league games for Fulham last season - through a combination of injury setbacks and rotation - Wilson is now one of, if not the, first names on the team sheet.

He needs just one more start in the league to equal the amount he managed across the previous two campaigns combined.

The importance of the 29-year-old being in the starting line-up is now as crucial to the team as it is for the player himself.

In the four games Fulham have been without their newly appointed talisman, they have suffered three defeats and limped to the line to beat League One side Wycombe on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

Two of those fixtures - defeats to West Ham at home and Southampton in the FA Cup - were sandwiched between three games that highlight Wilson's influence.

The mazy run from his own half to tee up Alex Iwobi and seal a win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

An emphatic volley followed by a layoff for Iwobi to double the lead and sink Tottenham at home.

And finally, a drive infield from the right before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround against Burnley.

Four games, two goals and two assists.

It has been a common theme throughout a campaign which has seen Wilson transformed from a squad player on the brink of a Deadline Day exit in August, to a leader who team-mates depend on to make the difference in April.

Without him, Fulham struggle. Sadly for them, that is a harsh reality they may need to come to terms with in the near future.

Even the strongest sides would feel the loss of an elite talent on a free transfer. For Fulham, who have been handed a worrying insight into life without Wilson, the blow would be even greater.

What has changed for Wilson?

So what has caused the increased return for Wilson? Well, largely it is down to building on the quality he would previously only show in flashes.

A showreel of long-range strikes have always been a staple of his career - just cast your mind back to the free-kick at Old Trafford during his time at Derby.

Wilson often cuts in on his preferred left foot to open the space and options ahead of him. From the half spaces, his passing range allows him to spread the play or look to find teammates inside the box.

When he is not creating for those around him, he will take the initiative on himself.

Forty-one per cent of his shots this season have been from outside the area, leading to three goals. The same amount as long-range specialist Morgan Rogers and only one behind Dominik Szoboszlai.

An argument can be made that strikes from distance are not a sustainable method of success, but this is where Wilson has improved.

The winger ranks among the top five in the league for cross-option runs, a metric that measures how available a player is for team-mates to find.

A quick look at his goals for the season shows six of his 10 arriving from just inside the box. The late runs to latch onto crosses, such as his goal against Brentford in September, or to prime himself to pick up on loose balls, mean he has now developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

A less congested area of the pitch when teams break into the final third and he is now reaping the rewards while operating in these spaces.

The quality has always been there but with a strong run of games, fitness on his side and most importantly, confidence now oozing from every action, Wilson is now reaching the levels that many tipped him for when he first emerged as a prospect at Liverpool.

The queue for his services will be long this summer - whoever manages to secure that signature could be getting the bargain of the window.