Liverpool star could rue missed opportunity after Florian Wirtz transfer links and blunt exit claim

Liverpool star could rue missed opportunity after Florian Wirtz transfer links and blunt exit claim

The arrival of the Germany international would make things difficult for Harvey Elliott this summer - but there are other factors to consider

Elliott has had a frustrating season. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

When Arne Slot took over as Liverpool head coach, Harvey Elliott looked set to be one of the players to flourish. The midfielder had enjoyed a strong end to the previous campaign under Jurgen Klopp as he enjoyed an extended run in the German’s starting XI and with the incoming Dutchman favouring a 4-2-3-1 system, looked set to benefit by being unleashed in his favoured number 10 position.

He enjoyed a strong pre-season too, but come the start of the campaign, he found himself on the bench with Dominik Szoboszlai instead preferred in the role.

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The 22-year-old then suffered a fractured foot which would ultimately rule him out until December as he was left playing catch-up.

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With the Reds then in their best moment during their title-winning campaign, it is perhaps no surprise that the playmaker found himself on the outside looking in.

Impressing in glimpses as a substitute, a first Premier League start of the campaign only came five months later, away at Chelsea, with the title already won. He then marked his second start with a goal and an assist in Monday’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

But it was telling that Elliott hinted that his future could lie elsewhere after what has ultimately been a frustrating campaign for him on an individual basis.

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"I think I've [shown what I can do] this season," Elliott told Sky Sports. "It's been hard with how much I've played.

“I've tried as hard as I could and whatever happens, happens. It's football at the end of the day and in my opinion, I just need to do what's best for my career.

"It's a tough one because I think every player wants to play each and every game, each and every minute, but sometimes it's not going to happen.

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“It's about reflecting and seeing what I can do better in my position and just going from there.

"But you know, I'm here at the moment, still got one game left and I'm fully focused on that.”

With such an admission coming at a time when Liverpool would be prepared to make Florian Wirtz their club-record signing, with the Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder commanding an £126m transfer fee, it is perhaps no surprise why Elliott might be resigned to having to consider his options.

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Slot had admitted at the start of May that it had taken the 22-year-old time to get back up to speed after injury, though made it known that he had been impressed by Elliott’s growing influence and improved form during the final weeks of the campaign.

“Harvey is one of the players that hasn't had as much playing time as he maybe deserves,” he said ahead of facing Chelsea. “But like some others he is in competition with so many good players that mainly [I] have chosen other players.

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“Also, partly because he was injured for a long time, and I've been honest with him. The first part after he came back from his injury, he wasn't the same as he was before his injury.

“But the last few months he's back to his old level again but there was no need for me to start with different players.

“I think if you look at the amount of minutes he had in the last one or two months and the time before you can see it goes up already. That tells you that we like – I like – him more now than I did when he came back from his injury in the first month.”

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Pre-season could act as a fresh slate for some members of the Liverpool squad, with Slot already urging fellow fringe star Federico Chiesa to use it as springboard to ignite his own Reds career.

But Elliott could find himself denied such opportunities this summer and left playing catch-up once again, albeit for very different reasons than his previous injury woes.

The Under-21s European Championships take place in Slovakia this June, getting underway on June 11 before concluding on June 28.

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Elliott was a member of the England squad that won the tournament last time out in 2023, and remains a key player under Lee Carsley. With the former Everton midfielder set to name his squad for this year’s tournament on Friday, the Liverpool star will likely be one of the senior players in the group.

But with the Reds likely to report back for pre-season at the start of July, any participation in the tournament would likely result in a delayed return for Elliott.

And with no senior international tournaments taking place this summer, that comes at a time when the bulk of Slot’s squad will report back from day one.

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While he could opt to cut his holidays short in an attempt to catch his head coach’s eye, Liverpool’s interest in Wirtz has only enhanced how difficult it could be for Elliott to ever force his way back into the Reds’ starting XI.

Speaking earlier in the season, when he was first linked with a move away, he made it clear that he had no desire to leave his boyhood club. But he might find himself forced to take a more pragmatic decision when the transfer window opens.

Of course, it is not just Elliott who could find his hopes of making a quick impression on Slot scuppered in pre-season.

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Jarell Quansah, who also continues to be linked with a summer exit as Liverpool continue to be linked with new centre-backs, could also be called up by England Under-21s. Tyler Morton, who is expected to be sold after a season on the fringes at Anfield, is another possible call-up too.

Meanwhile, Spain Under-21s could turn to Stefan Bajcetic after a mixed season on loan at Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas.

A successful summer with their nations could give the quartet a boost ahead of returning to Liverpool for pre-season.

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But having found senior team-mates already ahead of them in Slot’s plans last summer, international duty will make any hopes of changing the pecking order that little bit harder as they also risk missed opportunities at club-level being the caveat to answering the aforementioned national calls.

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