This summer has brought sweeping change to Liverpool. The arrivals lounge has been buzzing with stardust, as the Premier League champions smashed the British transfer record not once but twice to usher in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Yet, for all the glitter of marquee signings, the transfer that tugged hardest at supporters’ hearts was the departure of Harvey Elliott.
A boyhood fan who lived his dream by making 149 appearances for the club and lifting seven major honours along the way, Elliott had always hoped to call Anfield home for life. That won’t be the case, but it’s hardly a moment for heavy hearts - his love for Liverpool and the dedication he showed in red remain defining parts of his story.
With a loan move to Aston Villa now sealed with an obligation to buy for £35 million should he play 10 times, the Englishman - fresh from winning Player of the Tournament as England’s Under-21s lifted the European Championship this summer - looks set for more game time. And his new shirt number at Villa Park is surprisingly high up the pecking order too.
Harvey Elliott Set To Wear Number 9 Shirt At Aston Villa
Harvey Elliott in action for the England under-21 side
It's no surprise to learn that Elliott's deal includes a sell-on clause and a buy-back clause, with his age of just 22 meaning he could well end up making the move back to Merseyside if the stars align in the future. What is surprising, however, is the fact he's been handed the number nine shirt in Unai Emery's squad.
The No.9 shirt is often saved for a striker in a squad, a position which Elliott never played in his Liverpool career, even if some of his late performances indicate a keen eye for goal. The number had been vacant at Villa since Marcus Rashford's loan spell came to an end in the summer, with Jhon Duran the previous custodian of the number.
Elliott taking up a striker’s role in the Midlands is not on the cards, with Ollie Watkins firmly trusted to lead the line and fellow new signing Evann Guessand set to serve as his understudy. What has caused a stir among football traditionalists online, however, is that a midfielder has been handed that particular shirt number after having donned the No.19 shirt at his previous club.
"That just looks and feels very odd," one X user commented, as another remarked: "Game's gone." A third asked: "Do they not have any other numbers to give him?" while a fourth concluded: "I don’t care if it’s Lionel Messi, giving a midfielder the number 9 shirt is a crime against everything football stands for."