With Arne Slot as soon as once more emphasising the competitors Harvey Elliott is going through in his bid for a midfield spot, the coach famous “a couple of kids coming by way of.”
Liverpool are identified for the standard of their academy, not solely in bringing native gamers by way of but in addition in recruiting them from different golf equipment at a younger age.
Elliott arguably matches that class having joined from Fulham as a 16-year-old in 2019, although he was rapidly introduced into the first-team setup, the place he has largely remained for the five-and-a-half years since.
• READ: “I’m not leaving!” – Harvey Elliott explains ‘all speak’ aim celebration
Nonetheless solely 21, he has proven commendable maturity in his method to an absence of minutes below Slot thus far, however made a powerful declare for extra publicity with a profitable aim in opposition to Lille in midweek.
In his pre-Ipswich press convention on Friday, Slot was requested what Elliott wanted to do to earn extra begins.
“Preserve bringing performances in like he did and preserve working as laborious on the coaching floor as he’s doing as properly,” was the Dutchman’s quick reply.
As has typically been the case when discussing Elliott’s position, Slot went on to recognise the competitors he faces – not solely within the brief time period with a five-strong financial institution of standard midfielders, but in addition sooner or later with “a couple of kids coming by way of.”
“I all the time say to the gamers, it’s not solely about you, it’s additionally in regards to the competitors you’re in,” the top coach continued.
“In his state of affairs he’s in competitors with 5 superb midfielders that you recognize – and there are a couple of kids coming by way of which can be very gifted as properly, however they don’t seem to be near taking part in time but.
“However he’s in competitors with Wata, with Ryan, with Curtis, with Macca, with [Szoboszlai] and himself, so these are the midfielders we’ve got in the meanwhile.
“So he has to deliver up performances like he does, then taking part in time will most likely improve.”
A type of kids is nearly definitely Trey Nyoni, 17, whereas there could possibly be hopes for James McConnell, 20, to ascertain himself as a dependable choice sooner or later.
However whereas Slot seems to have at the least subconsciously discredited Tyler Morton, 22, who has expressed a willingness to depart in pursuit of standard first-team soccer this switch window, there could possibly be different kids he has an eye fixed on.
Stefan Bajcetic, 20, is at the moment on mortgage at Salzburg and is predicted to rejoin the primary crew in the summertime, however additional down the ranks are the likes of Kieran Morrison, 18, Kyle Kelly, 19, Alvin Ayman, 17, and Ollie O’Connor, 16.
Given Slot pressured that these unnamed kids are “not near taking part in time,” it’s purely speculative at this stage.
However it’s definitely fascinating that the Liverpool boss already has an eye fixed on the academy when contemplating future reinforcements for his midfield.
