Harry Wilson has revealed talks with Jurgen Klopp convinced him he needed another season away from Liverpool and a stint with Cardiff City.
The Wales striker – who scored his first goal for the Bluebirds against Bournemouth on Wednesday – has insisted he and the Liverpool manager agreed another loan deal, his fifth, was in his best interests.
The 23-year-old had already had loan spells at Crewe, Hull City, Derby and Bournemouth before signing for Cardiff last week, but recognised he was still unlikely to get regular selection at Anfield this season.
“I spoke with Jurgen at the beginning of the season and I let him know that I wanted to be playing football and he agreed,” said Wilson.
“He said a player at the stage of my career now, he knew I had to be playing and with the quality of the squad they’ve got at Liverpool I wasn’t going to get the minutes I needed.
“So, as soon as I had that chat with him, I knew we were both on the same page and then it was all about finding a club that would take me and where I would feel I could show people the type of football I like to play.
“I’m here at Cardiff now and I’m desperate to get them in the Premier League.”
“It’s always nice to get your first goal to settle you down. In my last Championship season I had a very good goals tally so I’m hoping I have that again with a few more assists and helping Cardiff finish in the promotion picture, where we want to be.”
“In my last Championship season I had the disappointment of missing out at the final hurdle, losing in the play-off final, so personally I’m desperate to go one step further.
“It would be nice to do it without the play-offs but, if that’s the case, I’ll be desperate to go one step further than I did with Derby.
“I feel this season was a massive one for me. I knew personally I had to get the games and the minutes that I wanted and, at Liverpool, I felt I wasn’t going to get that.
I’m not a @LFC fan but I know class! I love this letter. What a great reply to a young lads worries! Well done Jugen Klopp – you’ve just inspired me with an Idea for my local community! pic.twitter.com/6HLkvcmABd
— Tracy jarvis (@tracymarlow) October 12, 2020
“So I wouldn’t say I was desperate to get out but I was really keen to rack up the appearances and minutes that I wanted.
“When I sat down with my agent and discussed the teams that were in for me, we thought Cardiff would be a good fit.
“We know what quality they’ve got in the squad, they’re a team who are always there or thereabouts, having gone up and had the disappointment of coming down.
“You look around the stadium here and quality of players, it’s a Premier League club. I’m desperate to play my part in getting us back up there.”
Wilson also believes a successful spell at Cardiff can be a springboard to him achieving a starting place in the Wales line-up at next year’s delayed Euro 2020 finals.
Harry Wilson has joined @CardiffCityFC on a season-long loan deal.
Good luck for the season ahead, @harrywilson_ 🙌
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 16, 2020
“That’s definitely the aim for me. It’s something I set myself going over to France in 2016 as a fan – I was desperate to make sure the next time it came around, I was there as a player.
“I managed to play my part in the qualifiers to get us there. We had the disappointment of it getting delayed this year but next year, as a team and an individual, I’ll be raring to go.
“As many games I can get and as many goals I can score with Cardiff will help me get there.”
