West Ham have been linked with Harvey Elliott, who is contracted to Liverpool and currently out on loan at Aston Villa.
Villa wanted to sign Lucas Paqueta in the summer transfer window, but failure to land him led to them pursuing Elliott on a season-long loan.
The Englishman’s move to Villa Park has not panned out well, with him making just four Premier League appearances and starting just once.
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Fabrizio Romano claims Elliott will return to Liverpool
Fabrizio Romano issued an update on Christmas Day to his subscribers via his YouTube channel.
He claimed that Liverpool and Elliott are both unhappy with the playing time he has been getting under Unai Emery.
This means that he will be returning to Anfield and the Reds will then decide what the best course of action is for him.
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West Ham want to sign Elliott, and they could be keeping tabs on this development as they want to strengthen their side to avoid relegation.
Romano said: “Aston Villa decided to go for Harvey Elliott last minute. It was on deadline day, but he’s not playing and so Liverpool are obviously not happy.
“The player is not happy and Villa want to find a solution. So Harvey Elliott is expected to return to Liverpool and then assess the situation, whether he’s going to stay or find a new solution on loan.
“So discussions will take place on the future of Harvey Elliott.”
How will Elliott fit into Nuno Espirito Santo’s tactical system at West Ham?
If Nuno Espirito Santo deploys a back three, Elliott would be a good fit as one of the attacking midfielders in a 3-4-2-1.
He could play on the left or the right if Jarrod Bowen is playing down the middle.
Harvey Elliott during Feyenoord v Aston Villa - UEFA Europa League
Photo by Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images
However, his best position would be as a number eight in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3.
The 22-year-old is extremely creative and likes to venture forward, so having him as close to the box as possible is undoubtedly the best thing for Nuno to do.
It remains to be seen if the Hammers do pursue the English midfielder, as they have more pressing needs in attack and defence to address first.
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