However, when the 2024-25 season began, Elliott found himself back on the bench, and played just seven minutes of Liverpool’s opening three games before suffering a foot fracture while training with England’s Under-21s.
The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Elliott, as Slot intended to call upon him more regularly during a run of seven games in 21 days for the Reds.
By the time he returned to action, Liverpool were flying, with pressing machine Dominik Szoboszlai excelling in the No.10 role, and Mohamed Salah arguably in the form of his life on the right wing, meaning there was no chance of Elliott playing regularly in either position – which felt like the story of his Anfield career.
Elliott issued a timely reminder of his quality by coming off the bench to net a late winner in the Champions League last-16 first leg against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, but it was telling that the only Premier League games he started all season came after the Reds had wrapped up the title.
Slot had quite clearly deemed him surplus to requirements and the summer signing of Florian Wirtz meant that a move wasn’t just inevitable, it was essential for Elliott.
