Liverpool were ordered to pay a record fee of £4 million to Fulham for the transfer of Harvey Elliott. A bargain considering the potential he possesses.
The England international has four goals and eight assists on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers this season. He also leads the league in big chances created (9) and is sixth in key passes per game (2.0). With his parent club Liverpool struggling in the Premier League, Elliott could be the answer to securing their future.
Harvey Elliott Secures Liverpool’s Future for Record Fee
Teenager Enjoying Loan at Blackburn Rovers
Currently, Elliott is among the most creative players in the Championship and the best in the Blackburn squad. He has helped Adam Armstrong record his best season to date with 17 goals and his eight assists have made him a popular figure in the Rovers squad. The 17-year old didn’t exactly shine in his senior appearances for Liverpool however, he failed to register a goal or an assist last season.
Elliott has been most productive in his 19 games on the right-wing this year but has also played in the left-wing, striker, and attacking midfield roles. This shows the wonder-kid is a versatile player who at his current ability could be a solid squad player for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Right now he could replicate the roles of Curtis Jones and Xherdan Shaqiri play in the squad without a massive drop in quality.
Does He Have an Attitude Problem
Many people have criticized Elliott’s attitude in the past. In 2019, he was banned from football for two weeks for a derogatory video aimed at Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane. Elliot was only 15 at the time so immaturity like that can be excused. Ever since he joined Liverpool his attitude to improving has been superb and he’s been praised several times by Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray.
Elliot does not have an attitude problem. He’s not even an adult until April and he’s been handed the reputation of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Most people in Elliot’s position would’ve had some disciplinary issues in the early stages but luckily for Liverpool, he seems to have solved them.
How Good Can Elliott Become
To see how good Elliott can become let’s look at players who were in similar situations at Elliott’s age. When Raheem Sterling was 17 he was making his Liverpool debut from the bench. He played less than ten minutes in a 2-1 loss to Wigan Athletic in the league.
The current Manchester City player only played due to an injury to winger Craig Bellamy. The fact that compared to Sterling, the young prodigy has played a considerably larger amount of first-team football is very encouraging. However, over the next year, Sterling established himself as one of the Red’s key players something Elliott looks unlikely to do.
If Elliott continues to progress at a steady rate, there’s no reason why he couldn’t become as good as if not better than Sterling. He isn’t comparable to other players who burst onto the scene. Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe was winning Ligue 1 with Monaco aged 17 while scoring 15 goals in the process.
So while Elliott shouldn’t be considered a generational talent he could definitely become world-class at some point during his Liverpool career. In the next five years, expect Elliott to gradually increase his role in the Liverpool side. When the time comes for Mohamed Salah to leave, Elliot should be ready to take over. The £4 million fee looks set to be a bargain.
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