Young Fulham midfielder Luke Harris has been named in the Welsh senior squad for the forthcoming Nations League qualifiers against Belgium and Poland later this month.
Welsh head coach Rob Page is a huge admirer of Harris, who made his professional debut for the Whites in their League Cup defeat by Crawley Town last month, and has included the 17 year-old in a revamped party with Aaron Ramsey and Harry Wilson ruled out through injury. The attacking midfielder is highly rated in the Welsh set-up, having captained the under 19s, as well at Motspur Park, where he scored thirteen league goals in seventeen games for Steve Wigley’s title-winning Under 21s last term.
Page said:
He has been in the system now for a few years. He’s a talent and an exciting prospect, he’s doing really well at his club and he scores goals. When you have someone with that talent – albeit that he’s just turned 17 years old – then I am not bothered about his age.
I have shown that in the past with Rabbi (Matondo) and Joe Rodon and DJ (Dan James) and others I have worked with at under-21 level and the younger age groups. If I think they are good enough, they will come in and be part of the environment. For these two games, I think it’s a great opportunity for him to come in and get a taste of it, to experience it, and for us to have a look at him. We can see what we have seen at club level.”
The Welsh head coach, who signed a four-year contract earlier this week, left the door open to Harris being included in his World Cup squad
“I never say never – absolutely. I have pretty much got the squad in mind, of course. But the door is never closed. If someone is doing really well and I think it’s going to benefit us, then he will be considered.
Harris is joined in the squad by winger Dan James, who is currently on loan at Craven Cottage from Leeds.
WALES SQUAD
Squad: W Hennessey (Nottingham Forest), D Ward (Leicester), T King (Salford), C Gunter (AFC Wimbledon), B Davies (Tottenham), C Roberts (Burnley), C Mepham (Bournemouth), J Rodon (Rennes, on loan from Tottenham), B Cabango (Swansea), N Williams (Nottingham Forest), R Norrington-Davies (Sheff Utd), E Ampadu (Spezia, on loan from Chelsea), W Burns (Ipswich), J Allen (Swansea), J Morrell (Portsmouth), M Smith (MK Dons), D Levitt (Dundee United), J Williams (Swindon), S Thomas (Huddersfield), R Colwill (Cardiff), L Harris (Fulham), B Johnson (Nottingham Forest), D James (Fulham, on loan from Leeds), G Bale (Los Angeles FC), K Moore (Bournemouth), M Harris (Cardiff), R Matondo (Rangers), T Roberts (QPR, on loan from Leeds).
