Harvey Elliott's ill-fated loan to Aston Villa has resulted in a mere five appearances so far, his removal from the squad and his World Cup dreams virtually extinguished. But what does the future hold for the Liverpool midfielder? A deadline day transfer to Villa seemed like the ideal scenario for Elliott. The Birmingham-based team are a rising force in the Premier League, capable of competing in Europe, and appeared to offer the English midfielder what he yearned for: consistent playing time and a seemingly guaranteed £35million permanent move to a top-six club on the horizon.
After an encouraging start at Liverpool following his move from Fulham at just 16, the lifelong Reds supporter became a regular feature off the bench under Jurgen Klopp. Frequently called upon to provide the decisive pass when Liverpool needed a goal, Elliott consistently delivered, but never concealed his ambition for more starting game time. The appointment of Arne Slot, a manager with a preference for possession and technical play, seemed to present an opportunity for Elliott to flourish in his preferred number 10 role. However, Slot favoured Dominik Szoboszlai for that position, and Mohamed Salah's stellar form throughout the title-winning season meant Elliott had few opportunities on the right wing.
In total, Elliott only managed to accumulate 822 minutes across all competitions during the 2024-25 season. His 2025-26 season, however, is shaping up to be even more disappointing from a personal standpoint. When Elliott joined Villa on an initial loan deal with an obligation to purchase after 10 appearances - widely regarded as a mere formality - Liverpool officials inserted sell-on and buy-back clauses into the arrangement, reflecting their confidence in a player long viewed as one of England's brightest prospects.
However, Elliott has found it difficult to earn the confidence of Unai Emery, remaining stranded on just five appearances across all competitions since mid-October. Just of those were starts.
His first came during the 1-1 stalemate with Brentford in the EFL Cup third round, where the Villans crashed out on penalties, though Elliott did manage to find the back of the net. The second, a 3-1 home triumph over Fulham, saw Elliott withdrawn at half-time in somewhat unceremonious fashion, with Emery raising concerns about the player's adjustment afterwards.
Emery commented: "He needs to adapt in everything, but I changed him not because he was playing bad. He was playing good, but I changed him thinking about the energy Emi Buendia gives us in that moment, and his skills as well. He has to continue working, preparing and adapting of us, understanding everything, then using our quality in his structure."
Elliott's ability was clearly not in doubt when Villa brought him in. However, Villa have enjoyed a remarkable run of form this season with Buendia selected ahead of him.
The Midlands side secured 11 consecutive victories between their losses to Liverpool and Arsenal, and remain in contention for a title challenge should Arsenal falter between now and the campaign's conclusion.
His exclusion from even the substitutes' bench points to a deeper issue, though, one which Emery alluded to in his latest remarks about Elliott during his press conference before Villa's recent victory against Nottingham Forest.
Emery said: "The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him. We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him.
"This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions. This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football and sometimes we must take some decisions which are not good for everyone."
Villa have notably sailed close to the wind regarding profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) in recent seasons, parting ways with their most gifted academy product in Jacob Ramsey over the summer. In light of this, it might be more sensible for Villa to retain Elliott until the season's end.
They've likely already paid a loan fee, with widespread reports suggesting there's no recall clause in the agreement. Any attempt to return Elliott to Liverpool could potentially incur an extra charge. However, given Villa's current success, there's unlikely to be much concern over Elliott's predicament.
The player himself has seemingly fallen out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup plans, and with Slot also appearing unconvinced, his chances of featuring heavily at Anfield upon return seem slim. Since Elliott played for Liverpool before his loan move, he can't be loaned to another club this season unless their schedule doesn't coincide with the European calendar.
This sparked interest from Charlotte FC in MLS, managed by former Villa boss Dean Smith, but Elliott is expected to decline any Stateside offers. Not only would a move to MLS be a significant downgrade for the Premier League champion, but with Charlotte FC not set to play competitively until February 21, Elliott would face four months without any match action.
The Athletic have reported that there has been no communication from Villa regarding renegotiating the loan terms, indicating that retaining him for training until the season's end is the most probable scenario. It appears any alteration to Elliott's circumstances will need to originate from Liverpool.
On the surface, Slot's team could gain from a player of Elliott's calibre, providing another option in an attack hampered by injuries and Salah's AFCON participation.
Elliott's availability could also ease the burden on Florian Wirtz, who is grappling with a hamstring issue. However, the Liverpool manager has been reluctant to field those he doesn't seem to fully trust, as Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha can confirm.
Surely, though, a player with Elliott's ambition and work rate, coupled with his undeniable technical skill, would only bolster Liverpool. Elliott, a lifelong Liverpool supporter who accomplished what most fans can only dream of, was visibly moved at last year's trophy presentation, highlighting the tough decision he made last summer.
While Elliott will aspire for more, a sentimental return to help Liverpool - even if he still finds it hard to secure a starting spot - must be the ideal outcome for all involved.