Liverpool and Arne Slot could be set to make a big decision with Harvey Elliott in the January transfer window, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.
The 22-year-old moved to Aston Villa on loan in the summer, but things haven’t worked out for him as he would have hoped, with Unai Emery struggling to give him regular playing time.
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke said that Liverpool may well decide to end Elliott’s loan move in January, which admittedly isn’t “ideal” for anyone:
“There’s a possibility he could go back [in January],” O’Rourke said.
“I’m sure like most of these loan deals, there will be a break clause in it for both clubs to reassess it. It’s pretty clear that this loan move is not going to plan for Harvey Elliott or Aston Villa right now.
“It’s not ideal for Villa, it’s not ideal for Liverpool and it’s definitely not ideal for Harvey Elliott who went to Villa in search of regular minutes. This sort of boosted his aspirations of trying to break into England’s squad, which looks further and further away now with his lack of action for Villa.
“I’m sure both clubs will look at it. Obviously there’s rumours, there’s obligation in the contract that it becomes a permanent deal if he makes 10 appearances. He’s only made five so far and it does seem that he’s well down the pecking order in Unai Emery’s plan. So Liverpool could potentially recall him and involve him in Arne Slot’s plans for the second half of the season.”
Could Elliott help turn Liverpool’s season around?
Some Liverpool fans were upset to see Elliott leave in the first place, seeing him as an important squad player who Slot didn’t seem to rate, having been called “great” by Joe Cole.
He doesn’t appear to be going anywhere at Villa, only starting one Premier League game and coming on as a substitute in two more, so a return to Anfield could make sense, prior to leaving for good next summer.
With key players struggling for form at Liverpool this season, Elliott could be a welcome addition to the squad, giving them more guile in key attacking areas.
He could provide competition for the out-of-form Mohamed Salah, even though he lacks the pace to be a huge force out wide, so there are merits to the Reds ending his loan stint at Villa Park early.