Harry Wilson is desperate to show he is ready for Liverpool and Wales after Craig Bellamy questioned the decision to cap him as a 16-year-old.
Wilson broke Gareth Bale’s record to become Wales’ youngest-ever player at the age of 16 years and 207 days when he made a cameo appearance against Belgium in October 2013 – the final game of Bellamy’s 78-cap career.
The dual-qualified Liverpool midfielder had attracted interest from England, and Bellamy said after that Brussels draw he was uncomfortable with fast-tracking the teenager into the senior squad to tie him to Wales.
Wilson has had to bide his time since but, on Thursday, he marked his second cap and 21st birthday by scoring a stunner in the 6-0 thrashing of China in Nanning.
“It was all a bit of a whirlwind,” Wilson said of his debut. “I was very young so my parents said to me, ‘Just go there and enjoy it, and if you get your chance do well’.
“There was never a question of who I was going to play for. The English showed a bit of interest and got in touch, but I was born in Wales and raised in Wales.
“I knew I wanted to play for Wales from an early age. Thankfully I am able to do that.”
Wilson was loaned to Crewe before making his Liverpool debut in an FA Cup tie at Plymouth in January 2017.
A regular of Liverpool’s U23 side, he signed a new long-term contract at Anfield before joining Hull on loan in January, where he has scored three goals in his last five starts.
And after being named in Ryan Giggs’ first Wales team, his next ambition is to break into Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool squad.
“Klopp is very easy to speak to,” Wilson added. “I had a few conversations with him, I let him know I wanted senior football and then he told me his view of it.
“I was able to get out at the end of the window and I’m delighted to be at Hull. But I have been at Liverpool since the age of eight, so that’s always been my dream to play in the first team.
“Hopefully I can do that, if not next season then in the future sometime.”
What do the players get up to in between matches at the #ChinaCup?
Some kind of crazy dance, that’s what!
Keep watching!#TogetherStronger
— Wales (@Cymru) March 24, 2018
Wilson should win his third cap against Uruguay in Monday’s China Cup final at Nanning and could line up against Barcelona’s former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.
“I trained a bit with him when I was a young lad and it was great to see his qualities first hand,” Wilson said.
“As a Liverpool fan I was very disappointed when he left, but he helped me with his advice on and off the pitch.
“Even though his English wasn’t the best, what he did have he made sure he used it and he was fantastic to the younger players. He’s a brilliant player, but hopefully we can keep him quiet.”
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