Liverpool have reportedly made a significant decision regarding the future of Harvey Elliott this month, amid doubts over his long-term future.
The 21-year-old has had a frustrating season to date, having to settle for a squad role and not starting a single Premier League game.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have both invariably been preferred to Elliott in the No.10 position, suggesting that Arne Slot doesn’t consider him a key player.
That said, the Englishman produced an impressive late cameo in the 2-0 win away to Brentford on Saturday, playing an important role in Darwin Nunez’s vital late opener.
Elliott then also assisted the Uruguayan for Liverpool’s second goal, with Slot saying of him after the game:
“In all the other interviews there was a lot of focus on Darwin, because he scored two goals, and every time I said ‘yeah, but don’t forget Harvey’,” Slot said.
“He had a big impact on both goals as well. It’s so nice for me, for us as a team, that I have players that can impact the game on the bench as well.”
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are “not considering accepting an offer” for Elliott in the January transfer window, or in the summer for that matter.
Both the Reds and Slot are “still seeing the midfielder as a key part of the Liverpool side for years to come”, suggesting he is going nowhere, as appears to be the case with Federico Chiesa.
Our thoughts on Elliott’s Liverpool future…
Retaining Elliott for the foreseeable future is vital for the Reds, considering what a talented young player he is – one who continues to be such an effective substitute.
Granted, there may come a time when he has to think about the long-term picture, should he still be struggling for minutes and starting few matches, but that can be focused on further down the line.
Elliott may not be as dynamic as Szoboszlai and Jones, struggling to match them for physicality and pace, but he also brings a level of creativity that his two teammates don’t, possessing a wand-like left foot.
It is refreshing that Slot reportedly sees a future for the boyhood Liverpool fan, and it’s now a case of him continuing to be a great squad option in this Premier League title race, and hopefully finding further gears as he matures more as a player.
