Harvey Elliott, Liverpool Agree to New Long-Term Contract Through 2023

Harvey Elliott will reportedly extend his Liverpool career until 2023 after agreeing a new contract with the Premier League leaders on Thursday. 

Elliott, who only moved to Anfield from Championship side Fulham last summer, will put his signature to the deal during the summer, following his 17th birthday in April, according to Karl Matchett of The Independent.

The development represents an acceleration in the already rapid rise Elliott has enjoyed since arriving on Merseyside. Elliott has made six starts while on domestic cup duty, and he also came off the bench in the league, albeit as a 92nd-minute substitute for Mohamed Salah during Liverpool's 2-0 win at home to Sheffield United on January 2.

As a brief cameo, it was barely enough time for Elliott to break a sweat, let alone showcase his potential to become a regular in Liverpool's best senior XI in the future. Instead, the teenager has had to be content with making his mark as part of Jurgen Klopp's wholesale, and in some cases contentious, rotation policy in the cups.

Elliott started all three of the Reds' games in this season's Carabao Cup. He appeared in the 2-0 win over MK Dons in the third round preceding the 5-5 draw with Arsenal in October, a match Liverpool eventually won 5-4 on penalties.

Elliott's next outing was as a member of the reserve team left behind to host Aston Villa in the last eight. A youthful lineup was put in the charge of U23s boss Neil Critchley and promptly lost 5-0, while Klopp and the club's senior stars won the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.

Klopp adopted the same approach for a fourth-round FA Cup replay against League One side Shrewsbury Town earlier this month. Critchley was again put in charge, while Klopp and Liverpool's established players opted out in order to fulfil the Premier League's inaugural winter break.

In between, Elliott played 79 minutes for a young Liverpool team trusted to beat derby rivals Everton 1-0 at home in the third round. It was perhaps the most accurate barometer of Elliott's potential to thrive at this level since the Toffees picked a strong lineup full of top-flight experience.

As a versatile winger blessed with pace and a keen eye for goal, Elliott has already displayed qualities Klopp requires for the Reds' fluid forward line:

The level of Elliott's performances, both at senior and academy levels, has prompted Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo to label the decision to offer fresh terms a "no-brainer."

While Elliott has impressed, he will need more minutes in the senior side to avoid falling behind some of Liverpool's other bright, young sparks. Specifically, 19-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones has stolen the headlines more than once this season:

Jones and Elliott represent the solid bedrock of youthful talent underpinning Liverpool's star-studded senior lineup. They will both hope to follow in the footsteps of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, an academy graduate who has become one of the club's most important first-teamers:

Klopp built the Reds into UEFA Champions League winners and domestic champions-elect through smart and lavish spending on key players such as goalkeeper Alisson Becker, centre-back Virgil van Dijk and holding midfielder Fabinho.

Yet safeguarding the development of a burgeoning prospect like Elliott could help keep Liverpool at the top of the game for a fraction of the cost.