After Arne Slot’s team lifted the Premier League title on the final day of the campaign, Harvey Elliott had to be consoled by his father Scott as the reality sunk in that it was probably the final time for him to take the adulation of the Kop
Harvey Elliott has put himself in the shop window as England’s talisman this summer – now the Liverpool winger must not allow his heart to rule his head. Elliott’s performances at the European Under-21 Championship mean there will be no shortage of suitors for the 22-year-old when he returns home.
Former club Fulham, Brighton, West Ham and Bundesliga club RB Leipzig all registered their interest before the tournament kicked off. There is now sure to be others after the way Elliott has taken on the mantle of being Lee Carsley’s main man as England’s youngsters have looked to retain a trophy that was won two years ago.
Liverpool were looking at around £40million. You can be sure that price has also started to climb for a player who was signed from Fulham for just £4million six years ago.
Elliott has known his time at Anfield was coming to an end for most of the season. After Arne Slot ’s team lifted the Premier League title on the final day of the campaign, he had to be consoled by his father Scott as the reality sunk in that it was probably the final time for him to take the adulation of the Kop.
Elliott may have been born-and-bred in the Home Counties but in his heart he was a Scouser from the moment his Liverpool-mad dad took him to Anfield for the first time as a wide-eyed three-year-old.
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In 2018, they travelled to Kyiv together to watch their team face Real Madrid in the Champions League Final. But Elliott started just two Premier League games last season – and both of them came AFTER the Reds had clinched the title.
Slot has said all the right things about how important the Chertsey-born playmaker is to his plans at Anfield. But Liverpool have just spent £116million on Florian Wirtz, the German who plays in the central attacking position that Elliott covets most.
Wirtz is a month younger than Elliott. Slot illustrated last season that he prefers both Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones to Elliott in that role.
Mohamed Salah has just signed a new two-year contract on the back of another Golden Boot-winning campaign. And although the Egyptian will be going to the African Cup of Nations next season, his position on the right flank is likely to be filled by Federico Chiesa – and once Salah returns he will be back in the starting team.
On the left, Slot can choose from Luis Diaz or Cody Gakpo, both signed for big money and both seasoned full international players who perform at a consistently high level.
Is it any surprise that Elliott couldn’t stop the tears from falling at the end of Liverpool’s game against Crystal Palace a month ago even as he clutched a precious title medal?
Elliott knows the writing is on the wall and that he must now make a decision that will shape the peak years of his life. After joining up with the Under-21 squad at St George’s Park before the tournament, he admitted: “I’m coming to an age now where I’m 22 and I don’t really want to be wasting years of my career, because it’s a short career.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
