Liverpool have confirmed Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's successor, with Feyenoord's trophy-winning manager set to start his tenure on Merseyside on June 1st.
It was hardly a secret, but it's exciting – and poignant – nonetheless, with a strong belief from Michael Edwards and Anfield's sporting director, Richard Hughes, that the 45-year-old's man management ability and high-octane tactics will meld into the Reds' first team.
The likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez are among the most salient stars brimming with quality but requiring polishing and sharpening.
But possibly the biggest winner of this change in manager could be Harvey Elliott, who has bloomed into a wonderful player during the final months of Klopp's reign.
How Harvey Elliott could perform for Arne Slot
Klopp said that Elliott has "everything you need" to make a marked impact on England's European Championship campaign this summer, and based on recent evidence it's hard to argue that the young star is shaping into something remarkable.
He's a sensational playmaker with inborn match intelligence and an electric delivery, having scored four goals and supplied 11 assists in all competitions this season – despite only starting 27 matches. It's no surprise that podcast host Adam Rowe described him as "outrageous".
Elliott did, however, grow as the campaign entered its late phase, providing an assist in each of Liverpool's final three Premier League matches and scoring a brilliant thumping strike against Tottenham Hotspur.
His final performance, against Wolverhampton Wanderers, earned him an 8/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle, who said: 'Another impressively busy display, his cross inviting the opener and gave Liverpool attacking momentum. Popped up on the left occasionally, too.'
As per FBref, the one-time Fulham youngster ranks among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 2% for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90.
Elliott's 23.2 sprints per 90 in the Premier League this season ranks him 12th in the division, speaking of his tenacity and elite athleticism, closing down the ball and always seeking to influence the play.
1.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool
2.
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
3.
Martin Odegaard
Arsenal
4.
Bernardo Silva
Manchester City
5.
Phil Foden
Manchester City
His energy and explosiveness could even see him develop into Slot's very own version of Phil Foden, who are noted as 'similar' players statistically, as per FBref.
The six-time Premier League winner and the current Player of the Year has enjoyed an extraordinary campaign with Manchester City that has seen him plunder 27 goals and 11 assists from 52 matches in all competitions, including a 19-goal return in the English top flight.
While Pep Guardiola's prized gem has staggered supporters with his sharpshooting exploits, he's equally as impressive from a ball-playing standpoint, ranking among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 9% for passes attempted and the top 17% for progressive passes per 90.
Foden has been praised for his cleverness in attacking phases, with pundit Danny Murphy saying: "He finds pockets of space, wherever he plays, because he's just got that brightness about his game."
He might have more of a clinical touch than his English counterpart, Elliott, but the Liverpool phenom is skyrocketing toward the forefront of the Premier League and could find that the high-pressing system of Slot, who is believed to have the faculty to lift players like Elliott to a new level, unearths a jewel in the form of Anfield's creative talent, who is yet to reach the full scope of what his skill set suggests is possible.
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