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Liverpool star Harvey Elliott was among the players sending their best wishes to James McConnell as he sets off on a season-long loan to Ajax, coinciding with the announcement of his new five-year deal with the Reds.
McConnell, aged 20, made the switch to Liverpool from Sunderland at the Under-15 level and has since racked up 13 appearances for the senior team under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot.
After providing depth for the squad that clinched the Premier League title last term, Liverpool has opted to send him out to gain more consistent playing time. The young midfielder will now ply his trade at the Johan Cruyff Arena, joining the ranks of Dutch powerhouse Ajax.
There, he'll be under the tutelage of Slot's ex-assistant John Heitinga, link up with fellow Liverpool loanee Vitezslav Jaros, and step into the shoes left by ex-Reds skipper Jordan Henderson following his move to Brentford this summer.
"Very happy to be here for the season, can't wait to get started," McConnell expressed in an Instagram post featuring snaps from his Ajax introduction, which has garnered over 20,000 likes and a flurry of comments from his Liverpool mates.
Leading the charge was compatriot Elliott, who chimed in with: "Best of luck bro [red heart emoji]."
Elliott himself has been the subject of speculation over a potential exit from Anfield this summer, but Slot is eager to keep the 22 year old within the fold.
RB Leipzig has expressed interest as their star midfielder Xavi Simons made a switch to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday, but the Bundesliga outfit are poised to rebuff any approaches.
They're holding out for a significant profit, especially after seeing players like Tyler Dibling, Jacob Ramsey, Matheus Fernandes, and Omari Hutchinson depart for huge sums this transfer window.
Liverpool's newly appointed vice-captain Andy Robertson sent his best wishes to McConnell, commenting: "Love it Macca, good luck mate [raised hands emoji, red heart emoji]."
Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch dropped emojis in response, while a host of the club's academy talents who admire McConnell also conveyed their best wishes for his new chapter.
In addition to those who left comments, a slew of current and former Reds who showed their support by liking McConnell's Instagram post includes Henderson, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Tyler Morton, Stefan Bajcetic, Rhys Williams, Milos Kerkez, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, Ben Doak, Adrian, Virgil van Dijk, Lewis Koumas, Kaide Gordon, Jayden Danns, Trey Nyoni, and Rio Ngumoha.
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