Liverpool have already got ‘Wijnaldum replacement’ at the club – pundit
Gabby Agbonlahor has tipped Harvey Elliott to step into the Georgini Wijnaldum role for Liverpool after his recovery from injury.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker delivered his verdict after Elliott marked his return from a serious ankle injury by scoring his first Liverpool goal in the 3-1 win over Cardiff City on Sunday (6 February).
It was the 18-year-old’s first game since he suffered an injury in the 3-0 win over Leeds in September last year (2021).
He then followed up by playing 30 minutes as a second-half substitute for Curtis Jones in Thursday’s 2-0 league win over Leicester City.
As quoted by Sky Sports on Monday (7 February), Jurgen Klopp called Elliott’s return a “fairy tale” as he hailed his “fearless” spirit.
The England youth international had featured in Liverpool’s first four Premier League games and was beginning to establish himself in the starting XI.
Asked whether he can now pick up where he left off, Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “It’s difficult.
“Look at Liverpool now, they’ve got Diogo Jota, Roberton Firmino, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and Mo Salah – they are all ahead of Harvey Elliot.
“He has to bide his time. He will get starts in the FA Cup but to get into a starting team for Liverpool there are a lot of players he has to get in front of.
“Unless, like he did at Blackburn, he drops into the midfield, the Wijnaldum position.
“Maybe he’s got more of a chance breaking in there rather than as part of the front three. That could be the perfect role for him, he’s brilliant and certainly good enough and could solve the need to sign a Wijnaldum replacement.”
Elliott scored four times and provided 11 assists in 42 games across all competitions while on loan at Blackburn Rovers last season.
He now has a goal and two assists in 14 Liverpool appearances, including 10 starts.
In other news, an ex-Premier League referee has revealed an official’s ‘career might be over’ as ‘unacceptable’ Sadio Mane image emerges.