Harvey Elliott is already reaping the rewards of an impressive loan spell last season as he's been fully integrated into Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool squad.
The 18-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan with Blackburn Rovers and returned ready to push for first team football this season.
Elliott came on as a late substitute in the Reds' opening game against Norwich City earlier this month and played the full 90 minutes of their 2-0 win over Burnley last weekend.
“If he continues, and sometimes it can be a big if, then he will be a really good player," former Liverpool defender and pundit Mark Lawrenson told Off the Ball.
“I saw him a few times out on loan at Blackburn and technically he was head and shoulders above everybody, maybe apart from Armstrong, who has gone to Southampton. The great thing about him is that he plays football with his head up, which is a real bonus.
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“He sees passes, as you saw at the weekend. He works extremely hard and defensively he did his job. I think he’s going to be a big player.
“Whether he plays against Chelsea is a completely different question because of the way they have started and you wouldn’t want to give them much room and time, especially in midfield.
“I am told his attitude is absolutely fabulous. He wants to stay behind at training and practise different things, so he has given himself a chance to be a really, really good player. It looks like he’s going to be a top player.”
Elliott played 42 games for Blackburn last term and scored seven goals and registered 11 assists in that time.
He almost earned his first Premier League assist for Liverpool against Burnley as he set up Mohamed Salah in the first half, but the goal was eventually chalked off for offside.
Traditionally a winger, the Fulham academy graduate joined the Reds in 2019 and with Salah for competition, first team football could've easily been out of reach.
But testament to Elliott's quality and his desire to play wherever the manager tells him, the youngster has seemingly worked his way into Klopp's plans and he's been utilised in a midfield role throughout preseason and the opening games.
Lawrenson isn't the only person to heap praise on the player, as Salah himself and captain Jordan Henderson are among the players to compliment Elliott.
The Liverpool star is so highly regarded at the club, he's set to replace Xherdan Shaqiri, who departed for Lyon last week.
The ECHO understands Liverpool had been planning for Shaqiri's departure with the promotion of Elliott to the first-team squad this summer.
