According to the reports from Wales Online, Aston Villa are said to be in the race with Newcastle United to sign Liverpool winger Harry Wilson. The report mentions that Liverpool are willing to let him go for the right price. The Reds are valuing him somewhere around £15m. The European Champions are also ready to send the winger on loan if a deal is made to make a move permanent next season for £20m.
Villa have emerged as one of the highest spenders in the division so far, and it remains to be seen whether they will follow the path of Fulham or Wolves from last season. Dean Smith has already brought in three-wide players this summer as he completed the signings of Jota, Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet.
Wilson was Derby County’s top scorer last season, and there is no doubt that he will bring excitement among the club faithful. He is far from a finished product, but he will only improve from here onwards. The winger is likely to find it very hard to get game time with Liverpool, so Villa or Newcastle seem to have a realistic chance of prising him away.
Does Smith need Wilson?
The club has options for the wide positions, but Wilson is a versatile player who can play as an attacking midfielder in a central role as well. The Welshman is not a traditional winger who hugs the byline and uses his searing pace to trouble opposition. Instead, he often favours coming on to his favoured left foot to drive into the central areas. What makes him stand out is his goal-scoring threat.
His sharp and incisive movement in and around the box makes him a top option for the attacking midfield position. Therefore Wilson can be seen as more than a winger and we think that he would be a top addition for the Villans.
Worth the price?
Wilson is yet to prove himself at the Premier League level, but he is still just 22. From the pieces of evidence of his performances in the Championship, there is no doubt that he can thrive in the Premier League as well. The Liverpool man might struggle to cope with the physicality on some occasions, but his ability to make attacking contributions regularly makes him a standout asset.
In today’s market, he is definitely worth the £15-20m odd. Villans have already signed plenty of options for this season, but Wilson’s versatility means that he can be utilised in various positions.
