Arne Slot has said he is happy with Harvey Elliott’s performance levels over recent months, as speculation surrounding his Liverpool future continues to swirl.
The 24-year-old hasn’t started a Premier League match this season but could be named in Slot’s lineup on Sunday at Chelsea. The Liverpool boss said he will rotate his squad in the next few games, now that the title is wrapped up, and hand minutes to fringe members of the squad.
That should mean Elliott is handed a rare opportunity to impress the coach, although Slot insisted on Friday that none of his players have anything to prove over the next four games. Some game time would undoubtedly be welcomed by Elliott, who has endured a tough season through injury and plenty of time on the bench.
This week, the former Fulham man admitted that leaving his boyhood club this summer is a possibility, although he reiterated his desire to remain at Anfield and fight for a place in the team.
Elliott has been strongly linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer and, speaking ahead of the Chelsea game, Slot was asked what the future holds for the midfielder and whether he sees him as part of the long-term plans.
“I think it’s very important that people who are here with us want to stay,” the Dutchman replied. “That’s a big compliment to everyone here. Harvey is one of the players who hasn’t had as much playing time as he maybe deserved, but, like some others, he is in competition with so many good players.”
Elliott missed three months between September and December due to an ankle fracture, and Slot offered a blunt and ruthless assessment of the no.19’s performances when he returned after the layoff.
“I have mainly chosen other players, also in part because he was injured for a long time and, I have been honest with him, the first part after he came back from his injury he wasn’t the same before his injury.
“But the last few months he is back to his old level again. There is no need for me to start with different players but I think if you look at the amount of minutes he has had in the last two months, and the months before, you can see it goes up already. That tells you that I like him more when he came back from his injury in the first months.”
As for Elliott, he implied in an interview earlier this week that Slot could ultimately decide whether he stays or leaves the club this summer.
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“You never know what is going to happen around the corner,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “If I had it my way, that would be here, I would play each and every game here and stay here for the rest of my career but it all depends on managers, the people above.
“I don’t know what could happen but as far as I am aware I am here, here to stay and this is the club I want to be at.
“Hopefully I am still here to be honest. It is the best place to be, the best club to be at and especially having the fans around us at the moment, I don’t think there is a better place to be playing.
“Players go through ups and downs but at the end of the day you have to come out fighting and I think it is within myself to make it happen. So hopefully I can stay here for the rest of my career.”
