Can this wonderkid become the Wijnaldum replacement Liverpool are seeking

Bengaluru, Aug 23: Liverpool fans have kept it no secret that they are not happy with the club's lack of activity in the transfer market with all of their rivals spending significantly over the summer.

There has been a general consensus among the fans, as well as the pundits, that the Reds should have looked to explore the options to improve their squad but at the same time, they have nothing but belief in their manager Jurgen Klopp who has turned them from 'doubters to believers'.

One particular point of concern has been the club not opting to sign a direct replacement of Georginio Wijnaldum who departed on a free transfer for Paris Saint-Germain. The Reds are not particularly short of options in the midfield area but the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and even Curtis Jones have all spent significant periods of the last season on the treatment table.

Wijnaldum used to be Klopp's most used midfield player thanks to his incredible fitness levels and consistency and not replacing him could definitely cost the club especially if the likes of Keita and Thiago struggle with injuries.

However, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the Reds in the 2-0 win vs Burnley at Anfield on Saturday as youngster Harvey Elliott showed that he could prove to be that player Liverpool have been craving for. With the likes of Henderson, Jones and Thiago not enough match-fit and both Milner and Fabinho missing, the 18-year-old got an opportunity to show what he is capable of against Sean Dyche's side and he took his chance with both hands.

Klopp seems to have found a new position for Elliott in the middle of the park rather than the flanks and it seems like he will be gradually moulded into kind of a 'mezzala'. Klopp's midfield trio are usually pretty much conservative in their approach with their key jobs being winning the ball back as soon as possible and pressing their opponents hard.

They hardly tend to make risky passes and usually try to keep possession. However, Elliott can provide them a whole new dimension thanks to his natural ability to dribble past players and ability to unlock tight defences with his passing.

The 18-year-old was one of the best players in the Championship last season while on loan at Blackburn as he scored seven times and made 11 assists. It is unlikely that he will have anything close to those numbers this season as his game time is likely to be fairly limited but he has what it takes to become a key asset of the Merseyside club this season and for many years to come.

Since the departure of Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool have craved for such a midfielder especially against teams deploying low blocks and Elliott can bail them out in such games with his artistry.