The FA have published the list of intermediary transactions for the 2021-22 period, and while that may not sound very exciting, there are a few interesting details in there.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this is that it’s now been confirmed that Harry Wilson actually joined Fulham on loan in the summer rather than on a permanent deal that was reported at the time.
Indeed, Sky stated that it was a £12m move, while Fulham’s official announcement stated that Wilson signed from Liverpool on a deal that could see the player remain at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2026.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s official announcement also made no mention of a loan deal either, stating that Wilson was bidding farewell to Liverpool after 16 years.
So, what’s going on?
Well, there were murmurings at the time from certain journalists that this deal was only an initial loan, and it seems as though those reports were spot on.
However, worry not Fulham fans, it was also reported at the time that the loan includes an obligation to buy, so, for all intents and purposes, Wilson is a Fulham player, even though he’s technically still contracted to Liverpool until the summer.
Wilson has been described as ‘incredible’ for the Whites this season, and luckily, this loan will become permanent in the summer.
It’s strange that there were conflicting reports at the time, and even the teams themselves announced this as though it were a permanent deal.
Perhaps the loan with an obligation acted as a way for Fulham to get around the EFL’s stricter FFP rules. However, with promotion on the horizon for the London club, it seems as though they needn’t worry about that for much longer.
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