Arne Slot addresses Harvey Elliott's Liverpool future amid Newcastle links
- Arne Slot suggests Harvey Elliott looking to stay at Liverpool
- Midfielder has started only four games so far this season
- Newcastle linked with transfer amid rumoured £40m valuation
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has offered his support to unsettled midfielder Harvey Elliott, who has played significantly less under the Dutchman than previously under Jurgen Klopp.
Elliott has started just four games this season, three in domestic cup ties and the other a Champions league dead rubber. It has led to suggestions that the 22-year-old could look to move on this summer, amid reported interested from Newcastle United, most notably.
Elliott did miss two months of the season with a broken foot before Christmas, which Slot insists has been a factor in limited opportunities. Upon the youngster's recovery in November, the boss was then reluctant to overly tinker what he had found to be a winning formula.
"I think it's very important that players who are here with us like to stay. That's a big compliment to everyone working here," Slot explained, implying Elliott isn't seeking a transfer behind the scenes.
Elliott had publicly suggested similar earlier this week, pledging his commitment to Liverpool despite the frustrating and "difficult" circumstance he has found himself in.
"Harvey is one of the players that hasn't had as much playing time as he maybe deserves," Slot said.
"But like some others he is in competition with so many good players that mainly [I] have chosen other players. Also, partly because he was injured for a long time, and I've been honest with him."
The boss continued: "The first part after he came back from his injury, he wasn't the same as he was before his injury. But the last few months he's back to his old level again but there was no need for me to start with different players. I think if you look at the amount of minutes he had in the last one or two months and the time before you can see it goes up already. That tells you that I like him more now than I did when he came back from his injury in the first month."
The games that Elliott has played this season have come in a variety of positions, on either flank, in central midfield and as a number 10.
His contract, signed in 2022, runs to 2027, with £40m rumoured to be Liverpool's valuation.
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