Darwin Nunez looks to have waved goodbye to Liverpool fans, and he’s not the only one headed for the Anfield exit door.
The Uruguayan striker started in a 4-1 pre-season friendly win over Athletic Bilbao on Monday night (August 4) in what could be his last game as a Red. His future is increasingly in doubt amid links to the Saudi Pro League, where clubs are thought to be willing to meet the club’s £60m asking price.
The 26-year-old seemed to bid farewell to the Kop after he was substituted in one of two friendlies between Liverpool and Bilbao. It’s been a busy summer for the newly-crowned champions and he’s not the only first-team star who appeared to signal an exit.
Harvey Elliott Also Hinted At Liverpool Exit
The Reds attacker was seen applauding the Anfield crowd
Harvey Elliott was said to have been the last player to leave the pitch at Anfield on Monday, as his future also looks to lie away from Merseyside. The English attacker has struggled for game time under Arne Slot, starting just two league games last season.
Fans have posted clips of the 22-year-old, who scored in the win, appearing to applaud fans one last time as a Liverpool player. One wrote:
“Great to see Harvey Elliott on the scoresheet last night. He was also the last to leave the pitch, applauding every section of Anfield. The harsh truth of being a top side is sometimes losing quality players like Elliott not through lack of talent, but sheer competition. Whoever signs him is getting a gem.”
Another fan posted a clip of the English attacking midfielder’s actions after the match. If he does leave Anfield he will be the latest high-profile name to depart following Luis Diaz’s move to Bayern Munich last week.
Elliott’s game time was in jeopardy when Liverpool swooped for Florian Wirtz in a club-record £116m deal. He’d already had issues breaking into Slot’s first team last season after recovering from a broken foot.
The London-born midfielder spent the first part of the summer representing England’s U21 team at the U21 European Championships. He was a standout performer for Lee Carsley’s Young Lions, who successfully defended their title.
Who Could Liverpool’s Elliott Join?
Elliott has recieved plenty of interest this summer amid the expectation that he’ll be leaving the Merseyside outfit before the window closes on September 1. A move to Germany could be on the cards as David Ornstein of The Athletic claims RB Leipzig have made contact over a potential deal.
One club from England that have been linked are Tottenham Hotspur who are undergoing a rebuild under new manager Thomas Frank. Spurs are set to be without James Maddison, who suffered a horror injury during pre-season on the weekend.
This could force Daniel Levy into the market for a new attacking midfielder, and the former Fulham academy starlet fits the bill. Fabrizio Romano gave an update on Elliott’s future in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter:
“It’s gonna be one to watch. There’s interest from 3-4 clubs for Elliott, and he’s assessing options.”
Elliott echoed that report with his comments regarding his situation:
“I need to have a talk with everyone and review the situation. Obviously we have many new players that have come in, so whether it blocks the path for me, I’m not sure. It’s something for me to decide and have a look at. As I said, just review the situation.”
Elliott has ambitions to be in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for next year’s World Cup and remaining in the Premier League might make therefore be a priority. The Reds have reportedly slapped a £40m+ price-tag on their versatile midfielder who has two years left on his contract.