Liverpool journalist Simon Hughes has been sharing his thoughts on Reds winger Harvey Elliott and his future with the Merseyside club.
This comes after Pearce made an appearance on a recent episode of The Athletic’s Liverpool-themed podcast The Red Agenda where he spoke about a variety of topics concerning Jurgen Klopp’s side.
On the subject of Elliott, who has spent the current season on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers, Hughes had this to say about the player (33:15):
“It’s a big jump to go from playing from Blackburn in the Championship, halfway down the table to Liverpool, a club which is anticipating that it should be closer to the top of the table of the Premier League next season, but I would expect to see him playing more often, if not next season, then the season after.
“I think what would benefit him possibly at this stage, if he can’t get into the Liverpool team on a regular basis is go and play for a Premier League team and have a similar sort of season that he’s had this season, albeit at another Premier League team.
“It might be one season too soon for him, but I could be proven wrong, because as I said he seems to be the sort of player that really puts everything into training, and I know how Jurgen Klopp values that. So he if goes back to Kirby in the summer and trains well and forces the issue, who knows, Klopp might decide that there is a place for him in the first-team squad next season.”
Liverpool signed Elliott back in July 2019 from Fulham’s U23 squad. Since then, the 18-year-old, who is currently valued at £13.5 million, has made a total of 29 appearances for Liverpool across their senior and youth sides in which he has managed to score four goals and provide ten assists in the process (per Transfermarkt).
TIF Thoughts on Simon Hughes’ comments on Elliott and his future at Liverpool…
Given how the winger has managed to score seven goals and provide 11 assists during the 41 appearances he’s made for Blackburn in the Championship this season, it’s easy to see why Hughes thinks another loan move to a Premier League club could be the best step forward for Elliott.
What do you think should happen to Elliott this summer?
Send him out on loan again
Keep him in the squad for next season
In our view, with Elliott predominantly playing in the right-wing position for Blackburn this season, and the fact that Mohamed Salah has scored the majority of his 20 Premier League goals this season from the right-wing for Liverpool, perhaps it would be unlikely for Elliott to secure his place in the Liverpool team ahead of the Egyptian next season.
So maybe a loan move to another Premier League club where he can get plenty of minutes on the pitch would be more appropriate for the teenager.