Harvey Elliott is heading to the U21 Euros with England.
Harvey Elliott is heading to the U21 Euros with England.
Liverpool midfielder got on the pitch for just 822 minutes last season. For a spell he was injured, but he was mainly just out of favor and he has the club this summer as a result.
Talks are ongoing for to , and given he and Elliott operate in similar positions, the competition for places is only set to increase. was preferred as the Reds’ number 10 for most of last season and that is unlikely to change in the future.
"It's just a situation that me and the team have to have a conversation about because I'm coming into an age now where I'm 22, I'm going to be 23 next season," Elliott said, via BBC Sport, when asked if he is considering leaving Liverpool this weekend, ahead of traveling to the U21 European Championship in Slovakia.
"I don't really want to be wasting years on my career because it's a short career. You don't know what's going to happen. I need to reflect. I need to see if I'm content in doing what I'm doing and how can I improve as a player because that's the most important thing.
"I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that's to go somewhere else, then it's a decision that I'm going to have to make and I just need to see what happens. Nothing makes me want to leave. I love the club, I love the fans, the team. I support them as well. But most importantly, it's just about what's best for my career."
Where could Elliott realistically move to, though, in order to guarantee himself game time? There are plenty of options that should be on the table.
Stay in the Premier League
While leaving Liverpool could make sense, Elliott could still stay in England. It isn't as important as it once was to remain in the Premier League to make the senior national team, but staying in the best league in the world might still appeal.
Brighton has been linked and that could make sense, while Nottingham Forest might need a replacement for Morgan Gibbs-White, though Manchester City is and might not swoop for the City Ground side's talisman.
Newcastle, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford — they would all be solid options for Elliott. Almost anywhere in the Premier League, he is good enough to play almost every game and make himself a main man.
Harvey Elliott has admitted he may need to leave Liverpool this summer (Image: Getty Images)
Follow familiar Bundesliga path
Jadon Sancho was one of the first to make the switch but plenty of others have done it. It really worked for Jude Bellingham, so much so that his younger brother, Jobe, is set to join Borussia Dortmund too.
And it isn't just Dortmund. Bayer Leverkusen, with any luck, will (though linking up with Erik ten Hag might not appeal), and Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig both have a track record of developing talent.
Elliott's game could suit the Bundesliga, and there is an established path from Germany back to England. His signature would cost quite a lot for a German team, but someone is going to have a lot of cash to splash having sold a marquee name.
Harvey Elliott of Liverpool (Image: Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Elsewhere in Europe
Spain, like Germany, feels like it could suit Elliott's game. He is technically gifted and would thrive in La Liga. The real question is who could afford to buy him, aside from Real Madrid and Barcelona, which both, for obvious reasons, feel like unlikely candidates.
Elsewhere, Serie A could be a good opportunity — just ask Scott McTominay. Napoli could have money to spend, in January, and Victor Osimhen is expected to be on the way out too.
Talent-wise, there will be no shortage of suitors for Elliott. But in a season that ends with a World Cup, getting the right move that can unlock the most amount of minutes for him could be vital for the rest of the 22-year-old's career.