Harvey Elliott is clearly a really superb footballer – and but whilst he has impressed England under-21s to a Euros remaining, his Liverpool future is doubtful.
As Lee Carsley has discovered to his benefit this summer season, Elliott has proven himself to have that uncommon knack for turning it on when it issues most, offering winners from the bench towards Lille and PSG within the Champions League. His exploits for England U21s have achieved his standing no hurt in anyway.
And but, Elliott has performed simply 822 aggressive minutes for Liverpool over the previous 12 months and is being tipped for an Anfield exit.
Harvey Elliott is a sufferer of unhealthy timing at Liverpool
A damaged foot did take Elliott out of the image for 2 months of the season, however he returned from that in November; something greater than a cameo nonetheless was not forthcoming till after Liverpool had already sealed the Premier League title and had nothing else left to play for.
That lack of enjoying time, adopted by the signing of but extra competitors within the form of the enormously costly Florian Wirtz, have led Elliott right into a resigned climbdown from saying he was eager to remain and battle for his future, to acknowledging that he may have to go away for his personal good only a few weeks later.
So…what’s gone flawed for Harvey Elliott?
Properly…nothing, actually. On a per 90 minutes foundation, a few of Elliott’s stats are genuinely glorious. If he had been nonetheless enjoying for Fulham – or a facet like them – he would absolutely be getting talked about as an thrilling 22-year-old who was able to step as much as an elite membership like Liverpool and become an distinctive participant.
The problem for Elliott, in the end, is one among timing. If he had been the place he’s now three years in the past, he would have been much more of a aid to an ageing midfield that was dismantled and changed by the present threesome in 2023.
If the present midfield trio had been all hardy veterans ready to get replaced, it could be a no brainer to carry onto Elliott and re-integrate him into the facet for the longer-term good. However that’s not the case in any respect. Ryan Gravenberch is 23. Dominik Szoboszlai is 24. Alexis Mac Allister is the senior member of the trio at 26. Expensively-acquired new addition Wirtz, is a month youthful than Elliott.
There are at all times backup slots accessible, after all, however Arne Slot has seemingly determined that if he’s going to accommodate a undertaking participant, he would favor it to be Curtis Jones. Even he, at 24, is now out of ‘teen’ territory and getting into what needs to be his prime years.
If Elliott had not been unlucky sufficient to undergo the harm firstly of the season, he would possibly properly have saved his place within the squad forward of Jones, who returned from an harm of his personal simply in time to gazump Elliott and impressed the Dutch supervisor sufficient to maintain his place within the squad, even when not at all times within the beginning line-up.
Elliott is a really, superb participant; he has proven that loads of occasions already. Someday, he could also be a superb participant. It’s only a disgrace for him that to get into that Liverpool midfield, you actually must be good already.
Liverpool will know full properly that chances are high, Elliott will transfer a couple of locations down the league desk for a yr or two after which pop again up with one among their instant title rivals. However in the meanwhile…they’ve good purpose to really feel like they will dwell with that.
As for Elliott.. that move-away-and-come-again transfer could also be the perfect factor for him.
It occurs typically. Have a look at Gerard Pique at Manchester United, Kevin de Bruyne at Chelsea, or, way more not too long ago, Cole Palmer at Manchester Metropolis. All of them had clear and apparent expertise, however discovered their paths blocked and needed to go elsewhere to flourish.
Elliott might not be fairly that degree of participant, however the identical sort of precept nonetheless applies. There is no disgrace in that for him. Typically, a transfer does simply make sense all spherical.
