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Frank Lampard hopes to keep Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson at Derby County for the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old has lit up the Championship with his performances, and Lampard is hopeful that there will be no movement from the Reds to activate the recall clause active in his deal.
What’s the word?
Wilson moved to Derby on loan at the beginning of the season, and has been in excellent form for Lampard’s promotion-chasers.
He has scored 10 goals in all competitions from an attacking midfield position, including a scorching free-kick in the Carabao Cup win over Manchester United.
However, according to the Derby Telegraph, Liverpool have the option to recall Wilson in January, having included a clause in his initial deal, but Lampard is hopeful that he will be able to keep the star until the end of the season.
“I have heard nothing from Liverpool, which is good news – no news is good news,” he said, per the aforementioned report.
“I hope he stays with us because I think it (the loan) has been good for all parties, so far.
“In terms of his individual performance, 10 goals is a great return, and his spectacular goals have been great on the eye but my biggest pleasure is seeing his performances in the past month.
“His all-round game, the energy, the personality to receive the ball and be pivotal in the game has gone up a notch, and I think there are more notches to go.
“That is credit to Harry and hopefully he can continue that progress in the second half of the season.”
Wilson could hold key to play-off hopes
This deal has always looked like something of a masterstroke from Lampard, who has clearly passed on some of his wisdom to Wilson.
The youngster’s versatility – he can play in attacking midfield or on either flank – and his eye for goal have helped Derby climb the Championship table, and they currently lie sixth, in the final play-off spot.
They are four points clear of Nottingham Forest, and are only six behind second-placed Norwich City in the automatic promotion spots.
Keeping Wilson, then, could prove integral to their hopes for the remainder of the season.
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He has shown exactly what he can do in the Championship and, while he will surely eventually thrive in the Premier League, losing him now would be a catastrophic blow to Lampard’s hopes of promotion in his first season as a manager.
As long as Liverpool remain top of the Premier League, they are unlikely to call for reinforcements, so Lampard may just have to hope that the Reds’ run continues for a little while yet.