Liverpool’s summer transfer window is set to start with a bang as three big incomings are potentially set to be confirmed before we even enter July.
Jeremie Frimpong is already a Liverpool player, Milos Kerkez is keen to join Liverpool, while the biggest transfer of the summer could well be Florian Wirtz’s move to Anfield.
Liverpool want Wirtz, but, as of yet, no agreement has been reached with Bayer Leverkusen to sign the midfielder.
It has been reported that Liverpool could broker a swap deal for Wirtz, and one player who could leave Liverpool as a part of this deal is Harvey Elliott, via The Mail.
However, there is reason to believe that Liverpool would be making a mistake if they let Elliott go.
Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Harvey Elliott could be Liverpool’s Nemanja Matic
Letting Elliott leave Liverpool in a swap deal could be a serious mistake.
At the age of just 22, Elliott still has tons of potential, and as a boyhood Liverpool fan, he’ll always want to play for the Reds.
In fact, Jurgen Klopp said Elliott would sign a 15-year deal if he could.
Elliott has shown glimpses of his brilliance, but he needs to be nurtured in the right way, and if Liverpool let him go, it may not be long before they’re thinking about bringing him back.
Indeed, due to his love for the Reds, Elliott will likely never close the door on a return to Liverpool if he leaves, and if he kicks on, the Reds may well explore this avenue.
We have seen this exact situation play out before.
Indeed, back in 2011, Chelsea used Nemanja Matic in a swap deal to sign David Luiz from Benfica, but, two years later, the Blues brought Matic back, realising the mistake they made.
Of course, a number of dominoes need to fall in order for this exact situation to play out, but it’s easy to see Elliott having a similar sort of path if he leaves Liverpool for Leverkusen in a swap deal.
Players who re-signed for Liverpool
It’s easy to see Liverpool eventually re-signing Elliott if they let the 22-year-old go at this juncture.
The Reds are a team who aren’t afraid to re-sign their former players if it makes sense, and there are a few real fan favourites who returned for two spells at Anfield over the years.
Players who re-signed for Liverpool Year left Year re-joined
Ian Rush 1987 1998
Steve Staunton 1991 1997
Robbie Fowler 2001 2006
Craig Bellamy 2007 2011
Elliott may not be a local lad, but make no mistake about it, he loves the club just as much as someone like Robbie Fowler, and he’d be incredibly keen to return to Anfield later down the line if he had the chance.
At the age of just 22, Elliott has so much time ahead of him to prove he’s Liverpool-quality, and, if he does, the Reds may well look at buying him back in a few years’ time the same way Chelsea did with Matic all those years ago.