---
title: "Pep Lijnders ‘misses’ Harvey Elliott – Could he fill the Diogo Jota void?"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/pep-lijnders-misses-harvey-elliott-could-he-fill-diogo-jota-void/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2020-12-15T16:00:00Z"
modified: "2020-12-15T16:00:00Z"
---

# Pep Lijnders ‘misses’ Harvey Elliott – Could he fill the Diogo Jota void?

[Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/15/liverpool-keen-to-extend-virgil-van-dijks-contract-claims-journalist/) assistant manager Pep Lijnders has spoken about [Harvey Elliott](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/13/liverpool-fans-react-to-harvey-elliotts-sensational-goal-for-blackburn/)‘s loan spell with Blackburn Rovers and could have inadvertently uncovered the answer to a huge challenge within the Reds’ squad.

Jurgen Klopp’s number two was speaking to the [club’s official website](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/419552-pep-lijnders-on-jones-champions-league-consistency-and-elliott) when he was asked about Elliott’s development whilst on loan in the Championship, saying: ”I miss him! I would have loved to continue working with him, but it’s a good decision of course because he can play many games and he can show what he’s really about.”

The Dutchman went on to praise how “impressive” the 17-year-old has been this season ([three goals and five assists in 14 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/harvey-elliott/leistungsdaten/spieler/565822)) and the qualities the youngster possesses, namely his “constant threat of the final pass and the dribble and the shot”.

With [Diogo Jota ruled out for around two months](https://www.bt.com/sport/news/2020/december/liverpool-forward-diogo-jota-ruled-out-for-six-to-eight-weeks-with-knee-injury#:~:text=Liverpool%20forward%20Diogo%20Jota%20has,draw%20at%20Midtjylland%20on%20Wednesday.) with a knee injury, Liverpool could use a player with the guile and quality of Elliott.

This week, a report from [Lancs Live](https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-norwich-verdict-tactics-19450572) suggested the Reds had ‘no intention’ of recalling the teenager and were unaware of any clause allowing them to do so.

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

Should Liverpool be allowed by the terms of the loan deal, recalling Elliott whilst Jota is out, with a view to the winger returning to Lancashire at the end of January, makes perfect sense.

In far better form than [Divock Origi](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=69109) and [Takumi Minamino](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/takumi-minamino/leistungsdaten/spieler/165793) as well as being [fitter than Xherdan Shaqiri](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/416916-naby-keita-xherdan-shaqiri-and-mohamed-salah-fitness-latest), the former Fulham academy prospect represents a viable ready-to-play alternative to Liverpool’s [regular front three](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-liverpool/leistungsdaten/verein/31).

A temporary recall isn’t beyond the realms of possibility for Klopp, who did something similar last January when [Nat Phillips returned from his spell with VfB Stuttgart](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7830005/Liverpool-recall-youngster-Nat-Phillips-Stuttgart-loan.html) to play in the Merseyside derby before heading back to Germany.