By DOMINIC KING and SIMON JONES
Published: 14:54 EST, 10 December 2025 | Updated: 14:57 EST, 10 December 2025
Aston Villa are looking to find a solution for Harvey Elliott after his season of intense frustration took another demoralising turn.
Elliott has not played any football since October 2 but he had continued to be included in all of Villa’s Europa League squads; that changed, though, when Unai Emery decided to leave the midfielder at home rather than taking him to Basel.
This has been a hugely challenging period for Elliott, who moved to Villa Park on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day in September. A clause was inserted in the contract that stipulated Villa were obliged to sign the 22-year-old outright for £35million if he made 10 appearances.
He quickly got to halfway to that figure in September, made five appearances and scoring one goal against Brentford in the League Cup, but his career has now stalled. Emery was categorical that Villa will not trigger the clause.
Liverpool, his parent club, do not have the option to recall him but Emery confirmed that discussions are taking place to find a suitable outcome given that Villa are in talks with Brazilian side Gremio over an £8.7million deal for winger Alysson, a highly-regarded 19-year-old.
Emery said: ‘We are speaking with him and about his situation. He is not here with us. He is not here. Hopefully we can get the best for him and the best for us. I respect him as a player and as a person. He is training well, but we have one circumstance with him.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery confirmed talks over Harvey Elliott's future are underway
Elliott cannot find another club in January having played for Villa and Liverpool this season
Elliott was brought on as a last-minute substitute in Liverpool's 3-2 win at Newcastle in August
‘Hopefully we can get a solution for him to try to play consistently and try to continue in his career with us or not. I have spoken with him two or three times. Firstly, my decision and also the situation. He is on loan playing with us but he is not definitely adding to us with a permanent contract.’
What makes the situation so difficult for Elliott is that he cannot find another club in the January window; he was brought on as a last-minute substitute in Liverpool’s 3-2 win at Newcastle on August 25 and players are forbidden for representing three teams in the same season.
Elliott – the standout performer when England’s Under-21 side retained the European Championship in the summer – was the subject of interest from several clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen but wanted to stay in the Premier League; Villa was viewed as being a perfect stage for him to flourish.
For all that Emery had sympathy for Elliott, his focus is one extending Villa’s outstanding run of form against Basel, who have won their last seven Europa League games at St Jakob Park – a stadium that holds fond memories for the Spaniard, as lifted the trophy here in 2016 when Sevilla beat Liverpool.
‘Here we won the third Europa League with Sevilla,’ said Emery, proudly. ‘It was a fantastic day and memory for me. To remember it it is very good, but, but, in football I want to build a new moment, a new era, a new way and with Aston Villa I am so, so excited to being playing in Europe.’