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RB Leipzig is poised to intensify its pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott should Premier League rival Chelsea successfully wrap up the acquisition of Xavi Simons.
Chelsea has been strongly linked with a summer swoop for Simons, with the 22-year-old said to be eager to make the switch to Stamford Bridge. Simons has established himself as a highly-regarded emerging talent, registering 46 goal contributions across 78 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig since initially arriving on loan in 2023 before securing a permanent transfer this January.
According to the Daily Mail, Leipzig has placed a £60 million ($80.7 million) valuation on Simons, while Chelsea has suggested incorporating either Christopher Nkunku or Tyrique George into any prospective agreement.
Nevertheless, both players are understood to have alternative opportunities available to them.
Should a deal for Simons materialise, Elliott is reportedly Leipzig's primary target to fill the void, with Liverpool placing a £50 million ($67.2 million) price tag on the midfielder.
Such a transfer would see him link up once again with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who now holds the position of Red Bull's head of global soccer.
Following his departure from Liverpool last summer, Klopp confessed his sole regret from his final campaign was not utilising Elliott more frequently, stating: "But if I regret one thing a little bit, it's that Harvey didn't play often enough maybe.
"Because in a very important, intense period – January, a lot of injuries – he played really good. He was probably our best player, right wing, right midfield, all these kinds of things."
Elliott, a lifelong Liverpool fan, has been hesitant to leave the club. However, the 22-year-old has conceded that he might need to move on for the sake of his career, having only started six matches in all competitions last term.
"It's just a situation that me and the team have to have a conversation about because I'm coming into an age now where I'm 22, I'm going to be 23 next season," Elliott stated when questioned about his future during the U21 Euros.
"I don't really want to be wasting years of my career because it's a short career. You don't know what's going to happen.
"I need to reflect. I need to see if I'm content in doing what I'm doing, and how can I improve as a player, because that's the most important thing.
"I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that's to go somewhere else, then it's a decision that I'm going to have to make, and I just need to see what happens.
"Nothing makes me want to leave. I love the club, I love the fans, the team. I support them as well. But most importantly, it's just about what's best for my career.
"After my injury, I think it was always going to be hard, but I'd hoped I would have got some more opportunities, but football is football."
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