Harvey Elliott signed for Aston Villa on deadline day.placeholder image
Harvey Elliott signed for Aston Villa on deadline day. | Getty Images
Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot are hoping to hit the ground running at Aston Villa after their late summer moves
Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers says he’s excited to resume his partnership with Harvey Elliott at Villa Park having played alongside the 22-year-old with England at Under-21 level. Elliott joins Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool, though Villa are set to make the midfielder a permanent member of Unai Emery’s squad, having agreed a £35 million obligation to buy with the champions.
He joins to add creativity and flair to a Villa team that have not yet scored this season - and he’s one of two attacking additions that’ll be hoping to make a debut against Everton once Premier League action resumes. The other name to watch out for is Jadon Sancho, a 23-time England international, who once cost Manchester United £73m when he was signed from Borussia Dortmund four years ago. Both bring international pedigree and Champions League experience to the setup at Bodymoor Heath while Sancho will also be reunited with centre-back Victor Lindelof, who arrives on a free transfer after being released from Manchester United.
Morgan Rogers relishes chance to link up with new signings
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers told Birmingham Live that he’s looking forward to playing with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho, and believes the prospect of playing in the World Cup will spur the trio on this season.
“Knowing them both (Sancho and Elliott) - Harvey pretty well in England age groups - I think it’s exciting, and playing with England players who have a point to prove, in the sense that they will want to be in the England squad too, playing with them at a club level will help.
“It will also help them because the environment in our group and club is really good. I'm looking forward to getting back and playing with them, especially. Creativity - both of them,” Rogers replied when asked what the duo would add. “They play with freedom, and they get fans off their seats. Ultimately, that’s exciting, especially as an attacker too. It will be really nice to play with them, so hopefully it clicks and connects really well.”
How Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho could transform Aston Villa’s attacking output
Harvey Elliott arrives at Aston Villa full of confidence after being named England Under-21 Player of the Tournament - following in the footsteps of Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon in 2023. Elliott played a combined total of 149 matches for Liverpool, chipping in with 15 goals and 20 assists but his numbers don’t tell the full story as most of his appearances have come from the bench. The 22-year-old is blessed with excellent versatility, making him effective as a winger or in a central attacking midfield role. The former Reds star even played upfront for Lee Carsley’s side during the last tournament and proved his ability to finish with five goals in six matches at Under-21 level.
Jadon Sancho, meanwhile, arrives with a point to prove after an inconsistent loan spell at Chelsea. Sancho won the Conference League with the Blues and scored in the final and semi-final to help them win that particular competition. He scored five and made 10 assists in 42 matches but only eight of his goal contributions came in the Premier League.
Sancho struggled at Manchester United due to a combination of injuries, form and his relationship with manager Erik ten Hag breaking down at the start of the 2023/24 season. He’s scored 12 and assisted six in 82 games for United - a far cry from the numbers he managed at Borussia Dortmund where he registered 53 goals and 67 assists from 158 matches across two spells. The 25-year-old still has time on his hands to revive his international career. He last represented the Three Lions in September 2021 in a 5-0 win over Andorra, it’s so far his only appearance since leaving Dortmund for the Premier League in 2021.
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