Leipzig Eyes Harvey Elliott as Xavi Simons Successor from Liverpool

Negotiations in Progress

Sources indicate that RB Leipzig is currently in the lead to acquire Liverpool’s promising midfielder, Harvey Elliott. The Bundesliga team views Elliott as an ideal substitute for Xavi Simons, who is in discussions with Chelsea and preparing for a transfer to the Premier League. Information from Transfermarkt reveals that Elliott has already met with Leipzig’s head coach, Ole Werner, and sporting director Marcel Schäfer, expressing a willingness to make the move.

What motivates Elliott to leave Liverpool? The 22-year-old midfielder is keen on finding a new club where he can secure more playing time. Elliott is recognized as one of the top talents in English football, having led the country’s U21 team to victory in the European Championship this spring, where he was awarded Player of the Tournament after netting five goals in six matches.

Elliott joined Liverpool in 2019 for €1.7m during Jürgen Klopp’s tenure as manager. Although Klopp now holds a global soccer role at Red Bull, he is not involved in day-to-day operations at RB Leipzig. Current negotiations are being handled by sporting director Schäfer.

Harvey Elliott to Leipzig – Beyond a Replacement for Xavi Simons?

Why is Leipzig so interested in Elliott? While it may not be immediately apparent, Elliott’s attributes closely align with those of Simons. In his 76 appearances for RB Leipzig, Simons has scored 21 goals and provided 23 assists. When he was at PSV Eindhoven, he achieved 22 goals and 11 assists in 48 matches. Although there is a notable difference in overall output between Elliott and Simons, the Englishman has been effective during the 2023/24 season, contributing three goals and nine assists in 34 Premier League games.

Despite a slight decline in productivity last season—partly due to a foot injury that limited him to just 360 minutes across 18 Premier League games—Elliott’s impressive average of 0.7 goal contributions per 90 minutes remains competitive, slightly outpacing Simons’ figure of 0.65. Furthermore, Elliott exceeds Simons in expected assists per 90 minutes (0.45 vs 0.26) and shot-creating actions (4.5 vs 4.0).

Given this analysis, it’s no surprise that Leipzig is keen on signing Elliott as Simons’ successor. However, the eventual transfer fee remains uncertain. Elliott’s current market value is €30m, while Leipzig anticipates receiving approximately €70m for Simons. The fee from Simons’ transfer could significantly influence Liverpool’s asking price, as they regard Elliott as one of the top talents in European football.