Harvey Elliott spoke to Birmingham World after making his Aston Villa debut against Everton.placeholder image
Harvey Elliott spoke to Birmingham World after making his Aston Villa debut against Everton. | Getty Images
Liverpool are looking to strengthen again in January but could Harvey Elliott return to Anfield and be used as part of midfield transfer swap.
Arne Slot and Richard Hughes were ruthless in the summer overseeing a Liverpool rebuild that nobody really saw coming.
After only signing Feserico Chiesa in the summer of 2024 with the Italian still to make any impact under the Reds boss. A few new faces, not half a team were expected this time around. Instead, a record spend, three club and two British transfer records later and Slot had the sort of squad that gave them justified status as favourites to win the Premier League.
Harvey Elliott faces uncertain future at Aston Villa
Despite being crowned player of the tournament for the European Under-21 Championships, Harvey Elliott seemed certain to leave Anfield after the arrival of Florian Wirtz. With Dominic Szobosai also starring in an attacking midfield role, Elliott’s numbers were always going to be limited. A loan to buy deal with Aston Villa seemed like the perfect solution only for Unai Emery to virtually write off the playmaker before the transfer window had shut.
Villa’s current form has seen them climb the table to be just three points behind Arsenal at the top after failing to win in their first five games and with Emery’s position being questioned. The same questions are now being asked of Elliott with Emery explaining what the situation is with the 22-year old: "We are speaking with him and about his situation. He is not here with us," Emery stated in his pre-match press conference via BBC Sport. "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. 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 about the situation we have with him," Emery continued. 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."
Swap deal Liverpool could offer to sign midfield target
Valued at £50m, offering Elliott as part of the deal could half that fee after seeing his stock plummet at Villa Park. A £35m fee had been agreed as part of the loan deal that took him to the Midlands, but getting him off the wage bill and out of the squad for a player who Slot is more likely to use should be a priority. Liverpool don’t need another attacking midfielder in the squad even if the manager persists with the diamond four that has added a bit more stability in recent games. One in, one out, and Slot could be a happy man.
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