West Ham United would welcome Fulham winger Harry Wilson to the London Stadium ‘in a heartbeat’, to quote one of Premier League survival-chasers’s many put-upon supporters.
But would Harry Wilson welcome a move to West Ham United? That is a very different question with a much less obvious answer.
So, as Wilson fights to be passed fit for Fulham ahead of Wednesday night’s clash between the two London neighbours, the feeling among the travelling party is that he may be a lot more tempting for West Ham than West Ham are for him.
Harry Wilson will be a FREE-AGENT this summer… 🕊️ 🏡
How would you feel about West Ham signing him?
West Ham United fans think Fulham’s Harry Wilson would turn them down
“Yes, [I would sign Harry Wilson]. Would he come? No,” one understandably pessimistic supporter writes on Hammers News’ official Facebook page.
Out of contract in the summer, Fulham’s Welsh wizard is hardly going to be short of interest, even if Marco Silva has not given up yet on agreeing fresh terms at Craven Cottage.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Champions League-chasing Aston Villa have held talks already. Mid-table Everton have been linked heavily. Leeds United wanted to sign the 29-year-old former Liverpool prospect last summer, and may find themselves in a strong negotiating position should they keep their heads above water.
As for West Ham, still in the relegation zone with only ten games remaining, even those of a claret and blue persuasion accept that swapping the stability and comfort of Fulham for the clownshow of the London Stadium may be an odd career move.
“100 per cent [I would take Wilson], but he won’t come to us even if we stay up. I doubt he wants to join whilst [Karren Brady and David Sullivan] are running things,” one TalkingPoint user points out.
“We would take him. Sadly, he will have a lot of much better offers the circus that is West Ham.”
“Why would he come to us?”
“Why would he come to West Ham? Surely he would rather stay in the Premier League!”
“I’d take Harry Enfield at this point.”
The feeling, then, is that Wilson is about as likely to join the Hammers as Mr. Cholmondley-Warner was to enjoy a pie and parsley sauce before an afternoon at Upton Park.
Why is Jarrod Bowen struggling when we need him most?
Wilson has outperformed Jarrod Bowen in the Premier League
Of course, ignoring the obvious pitfalls of a player in his prime joining a club in clear need of an overhaul from top to bottom, there is also the Jarrod Bowen factor.
Running his very own Goal of the Season competition, the latest a fine volley against Tottenham on Sunday, Wilson has arguably overtaken the West Ham captain as the finest right-sided attacker outside of the Premier League’s so-called ‘elite’.
Not that Nuno Espirito Santo is losing any sleep about his skipper’s recent form.
Nuno is backing Bowen to prove that class is permanent following a run of four games without a goal, and an even longer stretch of underwhelming performances.
“I think Jarrod is a talented player that can always surprise us and give us amazing things,” the head coach said ahead of that midweek clash at a potentially Wilson-less Fulham.
“He’s been huge for us. He’s the club captain and everyday, he gives his best.”
Wilson has more goals [nine to eight] and assists [six to four] than his fellow left-footer heading into matchday 29. Furthermore, Wilson’s nine goals have come from an XG of just over four; highlighting his ability to produce something special out of very little, pulling rabbits out of hats at a rate that would make Paul Daniels blush.
Bowen, it should be said, is still outscoring his own ‘expected goals’ tally eight to five, even if his thunder has been stolen of late by the free-scoring Crysencio Summerville.
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