Liverpool are facing their own Palmer disaster with the “magical” ace

Liverpool they’re looking down the pipe in terms of spending in 2025, with the looming black clouds of contractual uncertainty starting to become very real.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is probably the most prominent name and likely member to leave this year, as his contract expires at the end of the campaign and Real Madrid have a strong interest in his prized signature. They are doing everything to bring him to the Spanish capital.

It’s almost unbelievable that Arne Slott has so imperceptibly, with such confidence, taken the chair at Anfield Jurgen Kloppshocking decision to retire at the end of the 2023/24 term.

But then, Sloto’s sharp tactical mind and cool interpersonal skills lend themselves to success at a top-performing club like Liverpool, who sit at the top of the league and European table.

Whichever way you look at it, it’s already been a good ride. However, FSG knows that moves have to be made in both directions this year, with more than just the non-binding big three potentially heading for pastures new.

Liverpool face exodus in 2025

As well as Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah continue to discuss contract extensions with Liverpool. The latter two are viewed with more optimism, but we are well into January and still no progress.

Caught offside is confirmed that talks were held between Sloto and Darwin Nunez to inform the Uruguayan forward that his form must improve or he will find his place in jeopardy, with a £60m price tag already attached to his name.

Federico Chiesa signed only in the summer, but maybe already in danger of chop, with injuries limiting him to just four appearances so far. Paris Saint-Germain are pushing to sign Khvich Kvaratskhelia and Napoli consider Liverpool’s versatile forward to be the perfect replacement.

it is there Harvey Elliott. The midfielder has endured a difficult season under Sloto’s wing and is on the radar of Brighton & Hove Albion and Borussia Dortmund due to his lack of playing time, according to Sky Sports.

Frustratingly, the opening knocks to the season have kept Elliott on the sidelines after breaking his foot on international duty with England U21s, with Slot calling it “a big disappointment” given that he would get plenty of opportunities in the coming months.

Well, the 21-year-old has been fit for over a month now, but is still limited to the tiniest of roles, seemingly fueling rumors that he’ll be heading out the door this year.

If Liverpool were to think about it, it would be a huge mistake. In fact, Slot may be in danger of creating its own Cole Palmer disaster with this talented playmaker.

Slott’s own Cole Palmer disaster

We all know the story. In August 2023, Manchester City sold their homegrown talent, Palmer, to Chelsea in a £42.5m deal after playing 41 times for the senior team and he scored eight goals.

Such a big figure for someone so young and unproven on the main stage has raised more than a few eyebrows, but Chelsea enjoy a consensus of hindsight, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher hailing the 22-year-old as “the best player in the Premier League” back in October.

With Mohamed Salah stealing the headlines this season, it might seem that Palmer has matured, a victim of the ‘one season wonder’ syndrome that attaches to every up-and-coming sensation on English shores, but Palmer is still performing at the top of his game, a true superstar in emerging.

There is no doubt that he made the right move in 2023, becoming Chelsea’s main man after struggling to break into Pep Guardiola’s elite unit. How the Spanish coach now has to regret his decision.

It may have been the right move for Palmer, and there’s every chance Elliott will nurture his qualities with the likes of Brighton and Dortmund, but he can also make a significant impact on Liverpool’s growing project over the next few years.

According to FBrefthe England ace ranked in the top 1% of position mates in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot creation actions, and in the top 6% for progressive passes and progressive carries, demonstrating age-defying skills in terms of his playmaking ability.

However, there is no doubt that Elliott needs more action or will push for a transfer himself. Although he was out of the machine for the first months of the season, £40k a week talent has managed to appear since then only from the bench in the Premier League, with his six performances with a total duration of only 36 minutes of action plus stopping time.

Elliott is still so young; it’s easy to forget that this is a player who has yet to push the outer edges of his ‘prime years’. Liverpool may regret not playing him. He was not called on from the bench as Liverpool lost to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, a game desperate for a creative spark.

Last season, Elliott struggled for minutes down the stretch. Ah, but then he showed his skills and style, recorded a goal and four assists over the last six Premier League games of the Klopp dynasty.

Just over a year ago, the former Fulham youngster admitted he did not want to be known as a ‘super-sub’, firm in his belief that his qualities demanded a bigger role. So we can hardly expect him to be happy with his current situation, can we?

Former Liverpool U18 Head Coach Neil Critchley he once hailed Elliott for producing “real bits of magic on the ball” and bringing this deep-rooted talent to the big stage.

Perhaps Elliott watched Palmer’s rise and rise at Stamford Bridge and wondered if he should follow suit. He can’t. Liverpool’s tactical team simply have to recognize the catastrophic situation they would allow to develop.

The diminutive left-footer spoke about adapting to Sloto’s football, and while he admitted it was “very intense”, he spoke of a wide-beam style, keen to progress in England’s first-placed team.

FSG has a big decision to make this month. They have to make the right decision. Elliott he can’t be allowed to take the plunge when he has shown such promise throughout his young career thus far, scoring 25 goals in 125 senior appearances for the Reds, of which he started just 54 games.

Let’s step back for a moment and recall a comment made by Klopp as he approached the final moments of his distinguished tenure on Merseyside. Klopp admitted that he was very sorry at Liverpool that he could not play with Elliott more often.

Could Slot be lamenting similarly, should this wonderful midfield force take his art elsewhere next season? Liverpool could rue their own mistake in the Cole Palmer mould.