‘Deal sealed’ – Fabrizio Romano confirms departure of Liverpool gem who Reds had hoped to keep

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the departure of teenage attacker Elijah Gift from Liverpool to LaLiga outfit Athletic Bilbao, who the 17-year-old has joined on a five-year contract.

In his CaughtOffside Substack column on Monday morning, the Italian transfer reporter stated: “Deal sealed, completed. Athletic Club sign Liverpool 2006-born forward Elijah Gift on permanent deal. A medical has been successfully completed, and he’s signed a deal until June 2028.”

It brings an end to the Spanish club’s lengthy pursuit of the winger, with whom they’d been linked since May, when talks were being held over a prospective £1m move (The Athletic).

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Capable of operating on either wing, Gift never made a first-team appearance for Liverpool but had made an impact at under-18 level, with six goal contributions in 20 games (Transfermarkt).

As outlined previously by James Pearce for The Athletic, the Reds were hoping not to lose the 17-year-old, who had made a strong impression in the underage ranks last season, but also didn’t want to block his departure due to the level of competition in the wide attacking areas.

The Spanish younger has stood out for his pace and dribbling ability in attack, along with a penchant for cutting inside onto his left foot, while he’s also displayed a willingness to track back and help out his team defensively (premierleaguenewsnow.com).

He’s a player who could potentially have worked his way to the fringes of senior squad involvement in 2023/24 had he remained at Liverpool and continued his upward trajectory, but we wish him well with his move to Athletic Bilbao and for the rest of his career.

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