Liverpool already have their next Philippe Coutinho, Andoni Iraola just needs to trust him
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
The article compares the historic impact of Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool with the profile of Harvey Elliott. Returning from a loan to Aston Villa (2025-26 season) without activating the £35m purchase option, Elliott could take advantage of the change of coach – Arne Slot gone, Andoni Iraola arrived – to establish himself as an attacking piston or No. 10 and fill in the departures or uncertainties in the Reds' attack.
Philippe Coutinho remains one of the great creators of Liverpool's modern era. The Brazilian had formed a masterful association at Anfield with Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge, and, in 201 matches for the Reds, he participated in 98 goals. His transfer to Barcelona for 144 million pounds made club history, as the sale then allowed Liverpool to invest - Alisson, Fabinho and Mohamed Salah being among the recruits built around this financial contribution.
But if today we are looking for a player capable of bringing the same offensive influence, there is reason to believe that Andoni Iraola could already have his next Coutinho on hand: Harvey Elliott. Highly appreciated by Liverpool supporters, Elliott chose to temporarily leave Anfield at the start of the 2025-26 season for a one-year loan to Aston Villa, believing he was not getting the playing time hoped for under Arne Slot. The Villans not having activated the £35 million purchase clause provided for at the end of the loan, the English midfielder is therefore announced to return to Liverpool.
If Arne Slot was still on the bench, many felt that Elliott would have no future at Anfield and would have been sold cheaply. The context has changed with the arrival of Iraola: the new coach could give the 23-year-old a chance, especially since the Reds' attack seemed in difficulty last season.
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Liverpool have profiles capable of occupying the number 10 role – Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai being mentioned – but Elliott has often demonstrated an energy and a variety of attacking solutions that please the public. Versatile, he can play in the center as well as on one side, and was often decisive when he wore the Liverpool jersey.
The club's sporting situation reinforces this argument: Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones could leave the squad, and uncertainties weigh on other offensive elements (Cody Gakpo, the return of Hugo Ekitike after injury). In this context, leaving a place for Elliott, capable of playing behind the attacker or on the right wing – a position left vacant after the departure of Mohamed Salah depending on the circumstances mentioned – seems logical.
During his matches at Liverpool, Elliott was mainly used as a central midfielder. He was productive there: according to the data mentioned, he scored 15 goals and provided 21 assists in the Reds jersey. With a new coach at the head of the club, the coming summer promises to be decisive for the Englishman: it is now or never to relaunch his career at Anfield.
Andoni Iraola therefore has an internal option to strengthen Liverpool's creativity and offensive versatility. It remains to be seen whether he will give him the confidence necessary to transform Harvey Elliott into one of the key men in the project.