Richard Hughes Liverpool
© IMAGO - Richard Hughes Liverpool
Liverpool took a risk with Harvey Elliott last summer. Sporting director Richard Hughes sanctioned a one-season loan deal with Aston Villa - that contained no straight obligation to buy.
Instead an obligation clause was inserted into the deal but only if the 22-year-old reached a total of 10 games.
Unai Emery’s side in that case would be obliged to pay Liverpool £35m for the England under-21 international - a fair price for a two-time Premier League title-winning midfielder.
But Villa now look certain to back out of the deal - with Emery admitting that the club have no intention of using Elliott again.
The playmaker is now marooned on five matches and this deal looks certain to end in failure.
Harvey Elliott stuck in limbo
Elliott’s loan deal has got no break clause attached to it - meaning Villa would have to pay in order to have it terminated. And even if that were to happen there are zero guarantees that Elliott would find a place in Liverpool’s first-team squad.
Given that Hughes was content to conclude a loan deal plus an obligatory purchase it can be reasonably speculated that the Premier League champions reckonedElliott’s time was up.
They won’t have space for him in the second half of the season - meaning a second loan of the campaign will have to be fixed up.
But a huge complicating factor in that supposition is that no European team will be entitled to take Elliott on loan.
He’s already represented two clubs in the 2025/26 season and will only be eligible to move to a league whose season overlaps according to FIFA rules.
That means Brazil or the United States are emerging as potential destinations - a shocking turn of events for one of the English game’s highest-rated young talents.
While Charlotte FC under Dean Smith appear interested - reports in England suggest that MLS is not a destination that Elliott is right now prepared to look at.
Liverpool rejected RB Leipzig interest
So it leaves the deal with two potential outcomes. Elliott will either rot outside the Villa first-team squad for the rest of the season or else come back to Liverpool where he’s not likely to play either.
And in hindsight this deal looks like a monumental misstep. Hughes ought to have inserted a mandatory purchase option in the deal or else found a club willing to take Elliott off their hands on a full-time basis - even if it were for a compromised fee.
RB Leipzig made a move on deadline day - offering a fee structured to be worth €40m overall - but the Reds rejected it. Instead they took the gamble that Villa would eventually stump up the £35m in summer 2026.
It’s not worked out that way and this failure could now cost the club in a big way.
© IMAGO
Liverpool must compromise on Elliott fee
In summer 2024 the Reds reportedly valued goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher around the £40m mark. No deals were offered at that price and so the Irishman stayed put and became a Premier League champion.
By the time he was sold to Brentford he only had one year left on his Liverpool contract. The Bees therefore got Kelleher on a heavy discount compared to Liverpool’s valuation a year before - only £12.5m rising to £18m including bonuses.
Elliott’s current Liverpool contract expires in 2027 - meaning he will only have one year left on his deal too when the Anfield side next get the chance to sell him.
Who is going to pay anything close to £35m for a player with only one year left on his deal and who has barely played any football in the preceding 12 months?
Liverpool will no doubt have to compromise on their asking price next summer - reducing their income significantly from the £35m they were promised by Villa.
If they end up getting even £15m that would be a bonus - and there is next to no chance of Elliott signing a new contract either.
It’s a shame that this deal has worked out badly - for Villa, for Liverpool but most of all for Elliott himself who definitely deserved better treatment.
🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range
👉🏻 A new centre-back is COMING to Liverpool
👉🏻 Liverpool finally replace Trent Alexander-Arnold with brilliant playmaker
👉🏻 Centre-back confirms he's ready to join Liverpool