Brighton are reportedly keen on Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliottplaceholder image
Brighton are reportedly keen on Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott
Brighton have been linked with a £40m summer move for Liverpool’s England under-21 star
Harvey Elliott was the hero for England Under-21s as he fired them into the final of the European Championships, but it came at a cost for the Liverpool midfielder.
England will face Germany in Saturday’s final of the Under-21 European Championships after Elliott scored twice in a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands, bagging an 86th-minute winner after Noah Ohio cancelled out his opening goal. Brighton’s James Beadle and Jack Hinshelwood also starred for their country, with Beadle performing well in goal and Hinshelwood faultless at left back.
But Elliott admitted he was not sure if he will be fit to play in the final after hurting his knee when celebrating the first of his two goals in Bratislava, even if he did play through the pain to finish the match.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to my knee, but it’s bloody hurting,” Elliott told Channel 4. “So hopefully it’s nothing too silly. It’s a silly decision from me, to be honest, but it’s just one of them, live in the moment.”
Elliott to leave Liverpool this summer
Elliott will no doubt be a key man for England against Germany but his future after the tournament remains uncertain.
The versatile midfielder is keen to kick-start his club career as he struggles to force his way into Arne Slot’s Liverpool team.
Injuries and fierce competition for places at Anfield limited the former Fulham man to just two Premier League starts from 18 appearances.
Elliott, a boyhood Liverpool fan, has expressed mixed feelings about his future. After a rare start against Brighton, he stated, “It’s just a situation that is always going to have a lot of talk, I just need to think about what is best for my future, my career and as much as I want it to be here... I don’t really want to be wasting years on my career because it’s a short career.”
Liverpool boss Slot has acknowledged Elliott’s frustration: “It would be weird if he would come to me and say, ‘I’m so happy with the playing time I have at the moment.’”
Liverpool are open to offers but would demand a substantial fee for the England U21 star, who remains under contract until 2027.
Brighton, Newcastle and Aston Villa all want Elliott
Clubs linked with Elliott include Wolves, Brighton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.
Brighton are said to be preparing a bid of around £40m, with former Liverpool man James Milner potentially influencing Elliott’s decision.
Newcastle – who will be in the Champions League next term – are also chasing, with manager Eddie Howe said to be an admirer of Elliott’s versatility.
Can Elliott fit at Brighton?
Brighton are well stacked for attacking midfield options but Elliott is player who could certainly make a difference to Fabian Hurzeler’s first team.
Brighton’s current transfer record is the £40m they paid Leeds United for Georginio Rutter last summer. Any move for Elliott would likely see them equal or surpass that fee.
Rutter plays the No 10 role for Hurzeler, while Brajan Gruda, Yankuba Minteh and Solly March are expected to battle for minutes on the right flank next term. The situation at Albion is though quite fluid as attackers Kaoru Mitoma, Joao Pedro, Julio Enciso, Evan Ferguson and Matt O’Riley have all been linked with moves away this summer.
Elliott could be a typical Albion signing. He has experience but at 22, he still has plenty of time to improve, which could see his price increase after a few seasons at the Amex Stadium. Something Brighton always consider when paying large fees.
The England under-21 ace would likely be a regular starter at Brighton and the influence of Milner – and also playing with under-21 teammates Hinshelwood and Beadle could be a factor.
Plenty of clubs are keen, Brighton seem to be in the running but they will have their valuation and are unlikely to go much above £40m. Much will depend on where the player will feel he can improve the most. Albion will be a good option for him.
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