As Harvey Elliott reaffirmed his desire to stay at Liverpool this week, what does the future hold for The Reds’ forever-young diamond?
THE football world moves at a frightening pace.
Then again, what doesn’t? In this age of information wars, the concept of holding enough space to digest, disgust or reflect on any life event is fast becoming a thing of the past.
We move from the question of whether a visual handball hits another body part to Manchester clubs in turmoil, to worrying about Bournemouth in the distance, to the contracts, to Charlie Adam in a blink.
It’s easy not to spare a thought for someone like Harvey Elliott, despite some hugely impressive recent cameos.
A player who deserves our attention. Someone with a journey worth procrastinating over.
The first thing I think about Elliott is that Liverpool is his club. That he, as much as anyone, knows what representing it means.
A great living Liverpudlian.
Admittedly, I haven’t always held him in such fond regard.
There were times during 2022-23, when Jürgen Klopp and Pep Lijnders decided he was a major part of our way home, that I simply didn’t get it.
I wasn’t sure what they could see or what I was missing.
Sometimes we get bogged down by what they aren’t as opposed to what they are.
There were always environmental factors under Klopp for Elliott.
As much as the former manager nurtured him, I never viewed him a perfect fit anywhere in a Klopp 4-3-3.
There was always something amiss. Elite quality absent here, a bit of slighted physicality there.
And then the injuries – so unlucky in that they’re long but not concerning. All contact or broken bones. The long sleep of healing and having to start again being all-consuming in its frustration.
Now we see a player increasing in sharpness and, more importantly, emitting a sense of seniority usually reserved for someone way beyond 22 years old.
Elliott has been at Liverpool with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Sadio Mane and many others now departed.
He can’t be viewed as one of those players because he’s still climbing the mountain. But he carries the same sense of ‘been there, done it’.
You feel, despite his years, there’s so much more to come.
Elliott, in this new Liverpool era, looks at home as a number 10. He has spatial awareness and deft touches. You back him on the ball. You want him on it.
The conundrum for Arne Slot is simply that he’s so different in the position to Dominik Szoboszlai.
He and Elliott are as polar opposite as you could imagine for two players in the same position.
The debate around what Szoboszlai isn’t never countenances what he is.
The Hungary captain is a prime thoroughbred who quietly defines Liverpool’s identity when he plays.
The difference in option for Slot is working to a degree. When the game needs something different it’s perfect.
But conversations about a stunting of Elliott’s growth and development will increase the more it works.
Many will question why we only use him in cameos. He will be the obvious answer when a wobble in form occurs for Szoboszlai.
Liverpool will want the best outcome for Elliott. Slot will display the brutal honesty we’ve come to expect.
I’d be delighted if he stayed. This is, after all, his club.
But would I start him against anyone other than PSV and Plymouth right now? No.
Do I want Liverpool to sign a number 10 as a priority in this window or the next? Yes.
I’m not sure where that leaves any of this. I’m just currently happy to see the player Harvey Elliott is becoming.
I’m sure what he wants more than anything is for Liverpool to be successful this season.
Whatever happens after will add to our ever-expanding news cycle.
We probably won’t stop to ponder it. We should.