He may nonetheless have a child face and carry himself with the innocence of youth – however Harvey Elliott isn’t any child any extra. After a summer time of partying with good buddy and DJ Calvin Harris, the Liverpool midfielder is able to dance his approach into the forefront of Arne Slot’s plans.
Elliott continues to be simply 21 however has performed greater than 100 video games for the Reds, reaching his century at a youthful age than Steven Gerrard and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Of the fully-fit gamers on their tour of America, solely Mohamed Salah has extra appearances for the membership.
Now Elliott reckons he is able to step up as a pacesetter and change into one of many important males beneath the brand new regime at Anfield. Talking in Philadelphia, the midfielder is right here to speak about Ibiza nights, his 5 years on the membership and the way it’s now his flip to be a mentor for the children.
‘I’m at an age now the place I wish to cement my place within the crew and I wish to be enjoying week in and week out – and as I mentioned it’s not going to simply come for me,’ says Elliott, talking forward of Liverpool’s Stateside assembly with Arsenal on Wednesday night time.
‘It is simply to make it extra about myself and be a bit extra egocentric in sure methods however I’ve that crew spirit in me, I’ll by no means lose that. I wish to play for the crew and the badge, I really like the membership and that’s by no means going to depart me. However in sure conditions, I would like to consider myself extra.
Harvey Elliott has claimed he must be ‘a bit extra egocentric’ to nail down a spot within the Liverpool beginning 11 – however has not misplaced his ‘crew spirit’
The teenager returned to pre-season early and is aiming to extend his variety of begins
Arne Slot is taking the Reds on a pre-season USA tour, beating Actual Betis 1-0 of their first sport
‘I simply should be myself. Us gamers, we’re all right here for a motive and the membership has seen one thing in us. So I simply want to verify I do it on the pitch. If there’s one individual accountable, then it’s me and no-one else – I have to take my alternative and cement my place within the crew.’
Final season, Elliott was the super-sub extraordinaire, scoring some massive objectives off the bench and including power into Jurgen Klopp’s midfield when fixture congestion was taking its toll. He performed 47 occasions for Liverpool, however solely 21 of these had been begins.
There was a whiff of negativity as Liverpool’s league title tilt crashed and burned so Elliott took day off to get pleasure from a summer time vacation, going to Ibiza with younger team-mate Tyler Morton plus Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite. Boat events and DJ units at Ushuaia had been the order of play.
However like Curtis Jones detailed final week, Elliott was one among a number of stars to chop quick their break to report again to the coaching centre sooner than required. ‘I got here again per week earlier as a result of I used to be losing interest,’ says Elliott, laughing. ‘I simply wished to be round it once more.
‘I simply wished to fulfill the gaffer, meet the workers and never get a head begin however get myself again into the swing of issues as a result of I knew this pre-season was going to be intense and I wished to be in the absolute best place.
‘However Calvin Harris was actually good! I went to see him a few occasions. Because the open-top bus parade (he did a set on the trophy parade after profitable each home cups in 2022) he has been a detailed buddy and we’ve at all times saved in touch.
‘I’ve at all times wished to point out my help for him as a result of he has performed it for us. It was good to unwind, went away with one among my shut mates Tyler, we had a coaching programme collectively and pushed one another to get into the absolute best form.’
Elliott’s father, Scott, performed a pivotal position in his rise. As a child, he was made to do a hill-climbing energy programme to enhance his stamina. Many academies had been sniffing across the Surrey-born midfielder, together with Chelsea, however he settled at Fulham.
Elliott revealed his want to change into a mentor determine to teenager stars coming by way of
He additionally spoke of how world-famous DJ Calvin Harris has change into a ‘shut buddy’ since 2022
Elliott Sr, usually noticed at video games with a pocket book, was the driving power in his youth and nonetheless chips in with recommendation. ‘He’s at all times making an attempt to push me as onerous as he can, which is why he’s an ideal dad,’ mentioned Elliott final 12 months. ‘There may be at all times one thing I might have performed higher.’
However now he is able to be a extra senior determine himself. He explains: ‘I’ve captained England within the Beneath 21s a number of occasions so these are all issues I’m taking with me. This pre-season we’ve a youthful group so I wish to be that voice.
‘I need them to return to me if they’ve something to talk about or questions. I’ve been there earlier than, I used to be a younger lad in a large crew. I at all times had gamers round me that helped me out so I really feel prefer it’s my job now to assist in any approach I can.
‘I’ve been round it for 5 years and I really feel like that is my time to essentially kick on and actually obtain what I wish to obtain. From the membership’s perspective as effectively, trophy-wise, we’re again within the Champions League now and it’s all thrilling.’
Elliott performed as a No 9 in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Actual Betis in Pittsburgh final week, although he’s unlikely to characteristic to this point ahead when extra senior figures report again from summer time holidays. However the 21-year-old is loving life beneath Arne Slot.
‘(His fashion) may be very elegant,’ provides Elliott. ‘A Dutch fashion, it’s very good. We simply have to maintain constructing on it and maintain enjoying as a result of it’s a unique fashion of play for us and let’s see the place it is going to get us.
‘It’s sort of extra about possession now. Managers have totally different kinds of play and the gaffer now has a method which is about possession and retaining the ball, one contact and two contact passes however I’m not going to present away any particulars!
On Slot’s fashion, he mentioned: ‘Very elegant. A Dutch fashion, very good. It’s sort of extra about possession now’
‘We’re studying totally different roles and I believe it is key for us to get the understanding now with each other and the place we should be in sure positions all through video games and sure conditions and it’ll come however it’s not one thing that can occur in a single day.
‘We have to maintain coaching, maintain working at it, maintain practising. We’ve got full perception within the gaffer in what he’s saying, what he desires us to do – it is on all us gamers now to go and try this on the pitch.’
