Liverpool fell short in the Carabao Cup final. Arne Slot was left reeling after watching his squad crash out of the Champions League at Anfield just days before.
But Newcastle United were well worth their money and so too were Paris Saint-Germain, with this month’s shootout loss leaving Slot to remark: “The best game of football I’ve ever been involved in.”
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Liverpool have exceeded expectations under new management this term in spite of a disappointing summer transfer window. Reserve attacker Federico Chiesa is the only man to have followed Slot through the door so far, and he’s yet to start in the Premier League.
After scoring a well-worked consolation in the Carabao Cup final, however, the Italian will be hoping for more chances to impress over the coming weeks as Liverpool look to seal the league title, 12 points clear at the top.
This would be a momentous success, but the Reds will hope to challenge for multiple honours next season. Thus, it’s paramount that high-quality signings are made this summer. But in order to do so, FSG are going to be looking to cash in on one or two stars.
Who Liverpool may sell this summer
Change is afoot. Some of Liverpool’s forwards have fallen by the wayside over the past several months, with Luis Diaz, for example, only scoring one goal for the Reds across all competitions in 2025 so far.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Colombian, 28, may be among those sold this summer, especially since he is entering the penultimate year of his contract.
He’s not the only one. Diogo Jota’s startling regression in the final third has led to speculation concerning his future, while Darwin Nunez feels the most likely to part with Merseyside this summer after a winter deal to move to Saudi Arabia fell through.
These are all players whose sales could help toward a bid for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, confirmed by The Athletic to be a top target for the Reds, but there’s another who may be heading for the chop too.
He doesn’t want to leave, but this rising talent is struggling to earn the minutes he wants and probably deserves under Slot’s wing.
Liverpool receive bid for top talent at Anfield
Liverpool have got a busy summer up ahead, and while fans would generally subscribe to the sales of Nunez and the like were the recouped funds turned toward a striker of Isak’s ilk, there’s another whose sale would fan the flames of fans’ emotions were he to leave.
That man is Harvey Elliott. Spanish reports have revealed that the 21-year-old playmaker is attracting attention from Newcastle, who have already lodged a bid worth £50m.
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The report further states that although Elliott ‘remains an important player for Liverpool’, that type of money would be hard to refuse, thus giving the Reds a tricky decision to make regarding the player’s future on Merseyside.
The youngster’s future will allegedly be decided in the coming weeks, and Newcastle could be the destination that marks the next chapter in the young English talent’s career. Negotiations promise to be intense.
While Elliott is an exciting young player with so much potential, this could be an invaluable sum for FSG to collect as they prepare for a busy summer window.
Why Liverpool could sell Harvey Elliott
To call Elliott surplus to requirements would be an insult to his incredible ability. Former Reds youth coach Neil Critchley said that he’s capable of sparking “real bits of magic” on the ball and indeed this is something fans have been treated to over the past several years.
However, Slot has used him sparingly this season, seemingly preferring more industrious options in the middle of the park. Something not too dissimilar to Jurgen Klopp’s approach.
Rumours were rife in January, but Elliott issued an emphatic response. He was going nowhere. However, should Slot fail to give him the chances he needs to elevate his exciting career to the next level, a move away might be something that benefits all parties.
He’s got a lot about him. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
There’s no doubt he’ll forge a successful career at one top-level club or another. Fans on the red streets of Liverpool would hate to see him go; Elliott has that deep-rooted prolificness that has come up trumps for Slot’s side on several occasions this term.
But the manager’s reluctance to give him top-flight minutes make a rather telling comment on his views toward him.
24/25
11 (0)
0
1
23/24
34 (11)
3
6
22/23
32 (18)
1
2
21/22
6 (4)
0
0
20/21*
0 (0)
0
0
19/20
2 (0)
0
0
Injuries have played their part this season, but Elliott clearly hasn’t won Slot over yet. In fairness, injuries also played a big part in the midfielder’s 2023/24 campaign, with Liverpool’s overload of setbacks allowing him to have more chances to impress.
Elliott’s forward-thinking style, his goalscoring sense, has actually seen FBref record Jude Bellingham has one of his most statistically comparable players. Not bad company to be keeping, ay.
Bellingham might be a somewhat contentious name at Anfield right now for his ostensible part in tempting Trent Alexander-Arnold into moving to the Spanish capital, but he is one of the finest talents England has produced in several generations, winning La Liga and the Champions League last term after moving to Madrid.
The 21-year-old has hit 59 goal involvements across 82 matches for Los Blancos and is considered the second-most-valuable player in world football by CIES Football Observatory, behind only Erling Haaland.
The £40k-per-week Elliott might not be in the same bracket as Bellingham, but the fact that he bears tactical similarities is a testament to his ability. For £50m, Liverpool would be ceding one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe.
But, that said, it would also be a big payment for one of Slot’s fringe players – and it could make all the difference in creating a transfer window for the ages down Anfield Road.
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