Harvey Elliott, 19, is looking forward to the new season more than ever. And he might have a case for his coach, and his teammates, to put forward for a spot in the squad before the commencement of the new season.
Many go down the punter lane to check through the season odds before the start of the season, you can bet on Premier League too – and if you play your odds right just as we expect of Harvey Elliott to, it may be your season as well.
Not to mention, that the London-born youngster is already a sensation around Merseyside. He has been a childhood Liverpool fan, and he even rejected a Madrid proposal to fulfil his dream move to Anfield, back in 2019. Looking back at his young career, Elliott had to make some tough choices to b-line his future path to where he is right now. Moving up the ranks of the Fulham youth team, and breaking into the U18s at just 15 years of age is just outrageous!
Not just that, the English youngster also did break into the Fulham senior squad and featured in a Premier League game in the 2018/19 season for the Cottagers– making him the youngest ever to step on the pitch in a Premier League game, at just 16 years and 30 days. Since then, there was no stepping back!
That particular transfer window of summer 2019 was key for the youngster, because there were a lot of bids coming for him from around Europe. Namely, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool were the 3 giants that were looking to make his move permanent. But, eyeing all the pros and cons, the 16-year-old Harvey Elliott (now 19) decided that a move to Merseyside is best suited for him.
The London boy went on to sign a contract with the Reds’ U23 and showed real promise! He spent a year in the U23 side before a season-long loan spell to Blackburn Rovers, up until the end of the 2020/21 season. It turned out to be a crucial phase, considering how well he matured after getting exposed to competitive football with the Lancashire-based club. During his time there, he played in 43 competitive games and scored 7 goals, while assisting 12 more.
Left as a young boy, and returned as a sensation. Elliott, soon, started gathering a whole lot of popularity around these parts and even came under Jurgen Klopp’s good books. Furthermore, it was supposed to be as he signed his senior contract in 2021 with the Liverpool football club, running up till 2026.
‘THE INJURY’ WOES
The freshly signed contract with the senior team, getting the whole summer training with the first team players, coming under the Gaffer’s good books, the 2021/22 season was already turning out to be Harvey’s season to shine. And it was looking all set the way the Reds went on about it for a few months in the start, and even Harvey was getting a good few minutes here and there.
But, on September the 12th, in a Premier League match against Leeds, Elliott got badly injured! The 18-year-old (then), left the Elland Road stadium in distress and a heartbreak, getting consolations from both the set of players. He had suffered a fractured dislocation in his left ankle, due to a horrendous tackle by the Leeds player – Pascal Struijk.
Harvey Elliott has been subbed off for Liverpool with an injury that appears serious.
Get well soon 🙏 pic.twitter.com/wtUHtg21La
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 12, 2021
After such a promising start to the new chapter of his career, the young English winger had to go through a horrific injury. And we know how the injuries can affect players even of big calibers, and high profiles. For Elliott, it was a big blow, as many Pundits and fans alike believed at the time that the youngster was surely breaking into the playing XI of Klopp’s scheme. And it is not easy to do that by any means, and that too at such a young age. But, just when it looked that the injury was leaving Elliott in the dust, something out of the ordinary happened!
THE RETURN: CAN HARVEY ELLIOTT BREAK INTO THE PLAYING XI?
After spending 146 days out due to an ankle injury, Harvey Elliott returned to one of the most massive receptions from the Kopites at Anfield on the 6th of February, in the FA Cup 4th round clash against Cardiff City. The Cherie on the cake was an amazing finish from the youngster, to mark his return!
Harvey Elliott returns to the pitch for the first time since his ankle injury in September 👏 pic.twitter.com/76Td6LYAmU
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 6, 2022
However, it has been a bit difficult for Elliott to break into the starting XI, unlike how he was doing it before the injury. Also, Liverpool’s chase for the quadruple did not help the 19-year-olds cause. Overall he finished the season, playing just 12 games- where he scored one and assisted 1.
Now, he is off on the England International duty for the Young Lions, and is showing his paces around there. Elliott was amazing on his return to the England U21s, as Lee Carsley’s XI showed huge promise in the 3-0 victory over Kosovo in the U21 Euro Championship Qualifier. The Liverpool man started in the midfield, with another promising star and teammate Curtis Jones- starting on the bench. Elliott bagged 2 assists, in the show of creativity to seal the headline as the Young Lions roared to victory!
His exploits on the return has left Jurgen Klopp in a serious thinking dilemma, to make way for the 19-year-old in the squad. Although, the recent outgoing ‘possible’ transfers, could make it happen for Elliott as the Reds look to release a few of the squad players this summer. And also, Elliott expressed his delight over the newly signed young Portuguese midfielder in, Fabio Carvalho.
No doubt, when the 2022/23 season will commence, Liverpool will be the one strong horse to challenge for the title! With their big-money moves like Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, including some sustainable signings in the form of Fabio Carvalho, and now Calvin Ramsay (possibly). It seems as if, the likes of Elliott, Curtis Jones, etc. might have to compete hard to get the spot in the playing XI, but a challenge that they will surely accept and take on, in a professional way.
