Kvaratskhelia in and Elliott out? Slot responds to reports | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has suggested that links to Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fall into the rumours category, where 99 per cent of stories are untrue.

The 23-year-old is reportedly on the Reds’ radar, as well as other Premier League sides, but Slot rebuffed any official talks with the Georgian.

“We are linked with Kvaratskhelia? What I make of that, is that it’s January. I said after the West Ham game, don’t disappoint me, please come up with all these links.

“Nine of ten times, 99 out of 100 times at the end of the window, it’s been clear that almost all of these stories weren’t true. The rumours keep going but no comments from my side.”

The links come with Mohamed Salah’s contract still set to expire in the summer and no end in sight over an extension agreement.

One player linked with a move away from Anfield is Harvey Elliott, with Brighton and Borrusia Dortmund reportedly keen on the 21-year-old’s services.

The former Fulham forward has struggled to establish himself back into the Liverpool team after an injury setback earlier in the season, and Slot has called for patience on his return to form and fitness.

“He’s a talented player, he’s been this for us for so long. In recent weeks he comes in quite a lot and gets his minutes over there, but it is for him and all the others there in competition, with many other good players as well.

“He was very unlucky that after two games he got injured, was out for a long time and what I’ve seen until now with almost all of our players that have been out for quite a while, that in this league, in this tempo, in this intensity, in the quality we have and the other teams have as well, it is not so easy to come back and be at your best immediately.

“I not only see this with Harvey, but I see this with almost all the other players who have been out for five, six, seven, or eight weeks. And that is the balance we have to find by giving them playing time to get back to their best level but still be able to win every game.”