Sometimes opportunities in football arrive when you least expect them.
For Will Wright, one could be coming at exactly the right time.
Liverpool are dealing with injuries to Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, leaving Andoni Iraola with fewer options in attack. Isak has returned to Liverpool after picking up a thigh problem with Sweden, while Gakpo suffered an ankle injury during the Netherlands’ game against Serbia.
And suddenly, Will Wright has a chance to show Liverpool supporters what he can really do.
I don’t think he should be expected to replace Isak or Gakpo. That would be ridiculous pressure to put on an 18-year-old.
But if Iraola gives him an opportunity, I’d love to see Wright take it.
Wright has been knocking on the door
What makes this interesting is that Wright isn’t completely new to the first team.
Liverpool signed him from Salford City in August 2025 and he made his senior debut for Liverpool during pre-season shortly afterwards. He has since been involved in Premier League matchday squads and made further appearances during the summer under Iraola.
He’s also already shown that he isn’t frightened of stepping up.
During Liverpool’s pre-season tour, Wright played against Sunderland and Wrexham before featuring against Como. He has spoken about how much he learned from training alongside players such as Isak and Federico Chiesa.
Now he could get the opportunity to actually play alongside some of those players in a competitive match.
That’s a massive difference.
His goals are impossible to ignore
Wright has also been doing exactly what a young striker needs to do at academy level.
He’s scoring goals.
He has scored five times in four Premier League 2 appearances this season and was recently shortlisted for the PL2 Player of the Month award after scoring twice and assisting another in Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Brighton.
That’s the sort of form that makes you sit up and take notice.
Of course, Premier League 2 is not the Premier League.
Nobody should pretend it is.
But confidence matters for a young striker, and Wright certainly seems to have plenty of it at the moment.
I like what I’ve seen from him
I’ve been interested in Wright since seeing him get opportunities with the first team.
There is something quite refreshing about him.
He looks like a proper centre-forward rather than a winger being pushed into the middle. Liverpool’s academy staff have previously described him as a striker who likes a battle and will work defenders hard. Wright himself has said his long-term ambition is to become Liverpool’s No.9.
That’s a big ambition.
But why shouldn’t he have it?
Liverpool have spent huge money rebuilding their attack, yet one of the most exciting things about the squad is still seeing whether somebody from the academy can force his way into the picture.
Wright has already said that playing alongside the senior players showed him the level he needs to reach.
Now he gets the chance to show whether he’s getting closer to it.
Don’t expect miracles
I’d be careful with the expectations, though.
If Wright gets 20 minutes and doesn’t score, that doesn’t mean he’s not ready.
If he starts a game and struggles against experienced Premier League defenders, that doesn’t mean Liverpool have made a mistake by giving him an opportunity.
He’s 18.
This is about experience.
It’s about giving him a taste of proper first-team football and seeing how he responds.
Sometimes a young player only needs that first opportunity to realise that he belongs at the level.
And sometimes it takes several opportunities.
Either way, Liverpool won’t know until they give him one.
This is exactly what an academy is for
I actually think this is one of the more exciting parts of Liverpool’s current situation.
The club has been investing heavily in young players and building a pathway into the first team. Wright is one of those players who has already started walking down it.
Now injuries have opened the door a little wider.
Isak is one of the best strikers in the Premier League.
Gakpo has been in excellent form and had become an important part of Iraola’s attack before his injury.
Nobody is asking Will Wright to become either of them.
But if he’s given a chance, he can make his own case.
That’s all I want to see.
Let him train with the first team.
Let him get on the bench.
Give him some minutes if the opportunity is there.
And if he gets on the pitch, let him play his natural game.
Because five goals in four PL2 appearances tells us Wright is currently doing his bit.
Now we get to find out what he can do when the lights are a little brighter.
Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo’s injuries are obviously bad news for Liverpool. But for Will Wright, this could be the opportunity he’s been waiting for.
And I really hope he grabs it.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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