Harvey Elliott has made just five appearances for Aston Villa since his September loan move, with Unai Emery suggesting there's little prospect of a permanent transfer despite a £35m clause.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park on September 28, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott is out of favour at Aston Villa just one season after helping Liverpool lift the Premier League title.
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Given the numerous challenges Arne Slot has been grappling with recently, it was hardly surprising that the Liverpool manager didn't wish to add to his troubles when questioned about Harvey Elliott last week.
When pressed on whether the England Under-21 talent might return to Anfield after making minimal appearances during his loan stint at Aston Villa, Slot avoided giving a clear response in either direction, suggesting that the limited playing time was a matter for Unai Emery to address.
Slot commented: "No, I haven't had contact with him a lot. I think only once or twice and that was before he played Feyenoord away and after he played Feyenoord away, but that had more to do with that he played against a former club of mine.
"So no, I haven't been speaking to him. I am aware of his situation, of course. I knew how difficult it already was for him over here, so I think I know how he feels at this moment. But you should ask those questions at Villa and not over here when it's about his playing time over there."
From Liverpool's standpoint, Villans manager Emery made matters worse on Wednesday evening when he disclosed that there was scant possibility of the player securing a permanent transfer to Villa Park after his deadline-day loan move. "We are speaking with him and about his situation," Emery said.
"He is not here with us (in Basel for a European fixture). Hopefully, we can get the best for him and the best for us. I respect him as a player and as a person," reports the Liverpool Echo.
"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.
"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."
Elliott has struggled to cement his place at Villa following his temporary move. Both clubs agreed on a £35m fee with buy-back and sell-on clauses included in the deal that was completed on September 1.
RB Leipzig had shown interest in the 22-year-old, whilst West Ham United had also expressed curiosity earlier in the transfer window, but Liverpool - who have developed Elliott since he was 16 after securing him from Fulham in summer 2019 - made sure a buy-back clause was written into the agreement.
His "enormous potential" meant the Reds were determined to retain the right to recall him should he demonstrate the level of consistent excellence they believe he possesses.
However, just months into his stint in Birmingham, Elliott finds himself marginalised, unable to force his way through the wealth of attacking midfielders at Villa Park. Emery has shown a preference for players like Morgan Rogers, Ross Barkley and Emi Buendia so far this season, and it's understood that the decision to sign Elliott in the final hours of the transfer window was influenced by former sporting director Monchi, who departed Villa just a few weeks later.
Those close to Villa believe that Emery feels Elliott hasn't yet adjusted to the expectations placed on him. With the club still trying to navigate the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Regulations, triggering a £35m fee for a player not in the current plans would be unwise.
For the deal to become permanent, Elliott needs to make 10 appearances, but he's only managed five as we near mid-December.
Given that Villa are obliged to finalise the transfer if he doubles his tally in the second half of the season, it's hard to foresee anything other than further stagnation in the early months of 2026 for a player who, let's not forget, was part of a Premier League-winning squad just a few months ago.
A foot injury in the early stages of the Slot era significantly impacted Elliott's standing within the squad.
First discovered whilst on England duty in September of last year, the issue kept him out of action for approximately two months and by the time he made his comeback - coming off the bench in a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Anfield on December 1 - Liverpool were deeply involved in their title charge and the manager had settled on his preferred midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Curtis Jones typically the primary substitute.
Elliott, in reality, didn't feature from the start in a Premier League match until after the 20th championship had been clinched and whilst his ambition was always to establish himself as a first-team regular at Anfield, the tough choice was made to depart after witnessing several attacking reinforcements arrive during the window at a staggering expense.
"I loved every minute of it; every second, every day," he said when leaving Liverpool. "I wouldn't change it. But the most important thing for me when I was making the decision was to be playing first-team football."
The opportunity to revitalise his career at Villa, though, has thus far proved disappointing. With only five matches remaining before Villa are obligated to pay the £35m fee, it's improbable that will provide enough playing time for the player to demonstrate he justifies the outlay for a club who are still carefully managing their finances.
The Reds have been struggling to cope with the physicality of their opponents in recent months. They've frequently been undone in the Premier League by long throws, second balls and set-pieces.
This is why a nimble attacking midfielder like Elliott wouldn't necessarily be the answer to their current woes.
With the January transfer window looming, it's going to be interesting to see what unfolds next. Elliott's single Premier League appearance for Liverpool this season - coming on as a 96th-minute substitute in the 3-2 victory over Newcastle United - means he can't play for another club this season due to FIFA's rules.
This could mean that Elliott will have to remain on the sidelines for the second half of the season. The long-term prospects for someone who doesn't turn 23 until April are promising, but it's hard to foresee a similarly bright immediate future.
He seems to be a player trapped in the system.