Sometimes football has a funny way of bringing things full circle. Just when Mohamed Salah prepares to wave goodbye to Anfield this summer, Harvey Elliott sits stranded at Aston Villa with a point to prove and Jamie Carragher's bold prediction ringing in his ears.

Back in February 2022, our former skipper wasn't mincing his words about Elliott's potential. "You have someone really special here, maybe in terms of Mo Salah's replacement, if that's the position he plays in," Carragher told Goal. "Mo Salah is getting to 30 now and we're all desperate for him to sign a contract, but whenever Mo Salah goes, maybe you've got your ready-made replacement."

Fast forward to now, and those words feel almost prophetic. Salah is indeed set to bid farewell at season's end, whilst Elliott finds himself in football purgatory at Villa Park. The 23-year-old has managed just nine appearances across all competitions for Unai Emery's side, including a measly four Premier League outings.

The cruel irony isn't lost on anyone. Villa's loan deal includes a £35million obligation to buy if Elliott hits certain appearance targets. By keeping him on the bench, they've effectively handed Liverpool back a player who could solve one of next season's biggest puzzles.

Elliott's journey from Anfield wonderkid to forgotten man makes for uncomfortable reading. The lad who became our youngest-ever starter aged 16, who thrived at Blackburn and racked up 149 appearances for the club, suddenly found himself surplus to requirements under Arne Slot. Sometimes football's brutally honest about levels, and Elliott discovered he'd slipped down the pecking order faster than anyone anticipated.

But here's where it gets interesting. Carragher wasn't just throwing around compliments that day in 2022. He saw something specific in Elliott's game that mirrored what makes Salah so dangerous. "Maybe not the same type of player, but a guy that plays on the right and comes in on that left foot," he explained. "Maybe he'll be more creative or maybe he'll get less goals, who knows, but he's definitely a special player."

That tactical insight feels particularly relevant now. Slot has shuffled various players across that right flank this season, searching for the right combination. Finding a like-for-like Salah replacement in the transfer market will prove nearly impossible. The Egyptian's unique blend of pace, finishing and big-game mentality doesn't grow on trees.

Elliott offers something different but potentially just as valuable. His left foot, his creativity, his understanding of Liverpool's systems from years in the setup. The raw materials are still there, waiting for the right moment to resurface.

Villa's reluctance to trigger that £35million clause might just be the best thing that's happened to Elliott's career. Sometimes you need to step away to appreciate what you had. Sometimes you need to feel forgotten to remember why you fell in love with the game in the first place.

The question now is whether Slot sees what Carragher saw two years ago. Whether Elliott can convince the manager in training that he deserves another shot. Whether that hungry 16-year-old who made his Anfield debut back in 2019 is still burning inside the player who's endured a frustrating spell in the Midlands.

Football loves a redemption story, and Elliott's potential return to Liverpool has all the ingredients. A player with unfinished business. A manager who needs options. A position crying out for fresh ideas.

Carragher's prediction might have seemed premature when he made it. Two years later, with Salah heading for the exit and Elliott looking for answers, it could prove to be perfectly timed.