Harvey Elliott has revealed that Jurgen Klopp advised the highly-rated starlet to prove on his loan spell that he was “ready”.
The 18-year-old has been a surprise performer in the Championship, registering 19 goal contributions in all competitions for Blackburn Rovers this season.
“He said ‘Look, just go out and show everyone who you are. Go and get these minutes. All of us will support you 100%’,” the youngster told 90min.
“He said, ‘Just go and play your way. Go and express yourself.’ It made me feel a lot better. Not that I was worried or scared to go out on loan, but it was just sort of the thought of what was going to happen when I came back to Liverpool.
“He said, ‘This will set your future up. Come back, work extra hard and show me that you’re ready’.”
While the player’s age and relative inexperience may tempt Klopp to send the forward out on another loan spell, it’s worth bearing in mind how few a number of people were prepared to back the Englishman in the second division.
Many imagined that the physicality of the league would render the former Fulham Academy graduate somewhat harmless, however, as this campaign has proven, the teenager is not one to underestimate.
Though we wouldn’t back Elliott to compete with Mo Salah for his starting spot just yet, he’s arguably risen up to the challenge handed to him by the Liverpool boss prior to the start of his loan spell.
As such, with us being in need of new faces up front – not to mention Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri being tipped for summer exits – it would make sense to blood the youngster into the first-team squad for the next season as another option for selection.