The fate of Harvey Elliott at Aston Villa is hanging by a thread as Unai Emery is contemplating a decision in January. The Liverpool loanee has not been part of the matchday squad for the last four Premier League games, and thus the idea of his role has been put under the spotlight.
Elliott’s Game Time Concerns
After his deadline day move, Elliott has only featured in five Villa games. And his non-involvement in the matches against City, Bournemouth, and Leeds has fueled the rumor mill even more. If Villa manage to play him in ten games, they will have to pay Liverpool £35m, which is the reason for the increasing pressure.
Emery reportedly has yet to determine if Elliott is a player he wants for the future. Reports say the midfielder impressed in training, but a few teammates are currently outperforming him. As Elliott saw his chances shrink, his spirit dipped too.
🚨 Unai Emery on Harvey Elliott and his possible return to Liverpool in January: “He is one of our players and hopefully he can help us. Then, we are going to decide”.
“There are other players performing very well. This is the main reason”, says via @J_Tanswell. pic.twitter.com/H62YxW13vm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 26, 2025
Emery’s January Decision
Emery confessed that Elliott’s winter window future will be a matter of choosing or leaving. He emphasized that only the next matches matter to the team. The coach declared that Elliott is still with the team, but he didn’t make any promises. Villa’s wealth of options in midfield has led to the departure of Elliott from the core group.
The choice of players, according to Emery, depends on who performs best on the pitch, not on the clauses in the contracts. His words have revealed the possibility of an interpretation that he might return to Liverpool sooner than expected.
Author’s View
Elliott should not be left in the dark until January at the very least. The skill of the boy is still there, and constant playing time will most surely restore his self-belief. It could be seen as a kind of relaunch of his season if he were to go back to Liverpool.
As featured on Walkon.com