One of the bright stars from Monday's first friendly against Bilbao at Anfield was Harvey Elliott. He scored a good goal and was influential trhoughout. Now, he's the subject of a new transfer report from David Ornstein.
Elliott has been talked about as a possible summer sacrifice to restore some funds following Liverpool's heavy spending, but this is one of the first tangible reports we have on him.
German club RB Leipzig are in the process of losing some top-class attackers such as Benjamin Sesko (Hopefully to Newcastle, eh?) and Xavi Simons, who is heavily linked to Chelsea.
Ornstein says Leipzig want Elliott
Transfer ace David Ornstein has reported that RB Leipzig and Liverpool are in the early stages of discussions over the possible sale of Elliott to Germany.
With the prospect of the influential Xavi Simons leaving this summer, they will be missing a big hole in the creative midfielder role. That's exactly where a talent like Harvey would fit perfectly.
The 22-year old is seen as a potential direct replacement for the Dutchman and both clubs are willing to work to at least get negotiations underway. Ornstein reports things are still very early, but this has the feeling of a deal that could accelerate rapidly.
Leipzig play an attractive brand of football as they are always on the front foot, which suits Elliott just fine as he is always a willing driver forward both on the ball and off it.
Liverpool are said to be hoping for a fee around £50 million for their young star, but it's believed that something closer to £40m might be enough to sway things at Anfield.
Does it make sense for Liverpool?
In a perfect world, the club would probably want to keep the 22-year old English standout for the foreseeable future as he has proven his worth to a title winning side and can still get better.
He is a versatile player that can contribute from a variety of roles on the pitch and he gives Arne Slot a useful Swiss Army knife off the bench or to start as needed.
It's this versatility that makes him such an attractive commodity for clubs that are not stocked with the talent that the Reds have and can offer him important minutes on a weekly basis. That, in combination with a significant transfer fee, means it will be hard for Richard Hughes to look the other way.
If. for example, Elliott is sold for £45m, that is a fee that could be pumped into defensive reinforcements or perhaps, Alexander Isak?
For now, both Leipzig and Liverpool are in talks over a move for the young England attacker, with more details to follow in the coming days and weeks.