Bayer Leverkusen are no longer interested in signing Harvey Elliott as part of a deal to sell Florian Wirtz to Liverpool this summer, according to reports.
The Reds have flown out of the blocks in the summer transfer window after Arne Slot wrapped up the Premier League title at the end of April.
Liverpool have known that they will have the Champions League money next season for a long time and they have been busy planning for the summer market.
Jeremie Frimpong has already arrived at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £29.5m, while there have been rumours that Liverpool have also struck an agreement with Bournemouth to sign Milos Kerkez.
The other player Liverpool are concentrating their efforts on is Frimpong’s former Leverkusen team-mate, Wirtz, who has been the subject of two rejected bids from the Reds.
Wirtz has agreed personal terms already and only wants to move to the Premier League champions but Leverkusen are still attempting to get as much money as possible out of Liverpool.
A rumour last week claimed that Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah could be used as makeweights in a deal for Wirtz but any chance of that now seems to be over.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg insists that Leverkusen are no longer looking at signing Elliott this summer after they ended their interest.
Plettenberg wrote on X: ‘A move for Harvey #Elliott to Bayer 04 Leverkusen is no longer being considered, following to the latest developments. #LFC’
The Athletic claim that the signings of Kerkez and Wirtz, added to that of Frimpong, ‘would take their summer outlay beyond £180m’ but Liverpool ‘have no concerns in terms of PSR as they made a profit of £7.5m in 2021-22 and a loss of £9m in 2022-23’.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher reckons the Reds will target a centre-forward once they have deals for Wirtz and Kerkez over the line.
Carragher said on The Overlap: “Throughout the season, I was still saying that Liverpool still need five or six players.
“I think the left-back comes in and plays straight away, Frimpong will fight with Conor Bradley, Wirtz will play when he comes to the club. But I still think we need a centre forward. I think Liverpool will look to get their business done pretty early.
“Liverpool need a left-back, Andy Robertson needs help on that side and Kostas Tsimikas will be moved on. I’ve always felt that attacking midfield and left-back are the two areas that have jumped out to me in the last 12 to 18 months.
“Whether Wirtz comes in and plays in Szoboszlai’s role or plays from the left, I don’t know. But the next one is centre forward and I wouldn’t be surprised if once Liverpool get these three [Frimpong, Wirtz, and the left-back] done, the next one will be a centre forward.
“As the window goes on, Liverpool will just see who they can sell and what they can do – they might bring in another midfield player or a centre-back to back up, but they’ll just assess what the situation is.”