Jurgen Klopp believes Harvey Elliott has the world at his feet, after showing such mental strength at such a young age to force his way back into the Liverpool starting XI.
But the Reds boss is cautious about piling too much expectation or pressure on the 19 year old’s shoulders, even though the midfielder has already been compared to one of Klopp’s greatest ever young talents, Mario Goetze.
Elliott was man of the match in the impressive midweek win over Newcastle, and has been an outstanding performer in all of his team’s games so far this season.
And Klopp believes his background has shaped a young man perfectly equipped to deal with fame at such a young age: “First and foremost he is a wonderfully-raised boy,” he explained. "He is young as well…apart from in his behaviour, and when you see him playing as well, you think 'wow for a 19-year-old...'
“It is all where he is coming from and how he was raised. Since he is here from the first day the players really took him under their wings. He didn’t get treated like a 17, 18 or now like a 19 year old boy, that is why he is in the middle of everything.
“We all forgot how good he was a year ago and he was a year younger before all the rubbish things happened. That's the case, he is just that good.”
The rubbish things of course, were after Elliott had forced his way into the Liverpool line up at the start of last season with some exhilarating performances, only to be struck down by an horrific knee injury at Leeds.
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That kept him out for almost half a season, and when he did return, Liverpool’s intense quadruple-chasing programme meant there was little chance to bed him back in slowly.
Now though, he is firing on all cylinders, with the Kop taking the teenager to their hearts. But Klopp has urged caution about going too far over the top, given that at 19 form can wildly fluctuate.
"I like talking about him, just it is really early (to do that). That's Harvey, a real talent but we all need luck in moments. Let’s just hope that he can go through this and develop and build on this wonderful basis," he said.
“It cannot be positive enough with the impression we have got so far, but we judge now what he can reach? Nobody knows that, it would be going too early in a career. That's why I am completely calm with it. It's great.
"He didn’t get different treatment since he performed outstandingly well, compared with the treatment he got before. He is the same boy. We literally love him because he is outstanding as a person as well.
“I understand 100% we sit here in the press conference and we cannot tell you 'shh, don't talk about him'. Do what you want but without my coloured pictures!"
Klopp has experience of dealing with precociously young midfield talent of course. Like Elliott, he put Goetze in his Dortmund side at the age of 17, and saw him go on to win two Bundesliga titles in his first two full seasons, before going on to win the World Cup with Germany.
Elliott so very nearly achieved a quadruple last season, and is being tipped to force his way into the England squad for this year’s World Cup.
