Harvey Elliott has been frozen out at Aston Villa, and there is now talk of him returning to Liverpool, but why has he been pushed aside?
Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa
Harvey Elliott's loan move has not worked out(Image: Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
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Harvey Elliott's loan move to Aston Villa hasn't worked out, and the Liverpool midfielder is now highly unlikely to make the England squad for the upcoming World Cup in America.
Once one of the most promising midfielders in the country, Elliott was signed by Liverpool from Fulham when he was 16 in 2019. In the years that followed, he cut his teeth under Jurgen Klopp and tasted success with England at the European Under-21 Championship last summer.
However, following Arne Slot's replacement of Klopp as Reds boss, Elliott fell down the pecking order at Anfield and secured a summer deadline day loan switch to Aston Villa.
While initially perceived as a great deal with a top club, Elliott's time with the Midlands club has been less than satisfactory. The deal included an obligation to buy, conditional on appearances, which is a formality in many signings.
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Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa
It's been a frustrating season for Harvey Elliott(Image: Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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However, it's clear that Villa do not want to buy Elliott, as Unai Emery is not selecting him. Former Villa star Dean Saunders has now revealed two theories as to why he believes Elliott has been frozen out.
"Either there is an agreement that they have to pay Liverpool a certain amount of money when he has played a certain amount of matches, or the manager just never signed him," Saunders told AceOdds.com. "They brought in Lindelof, Elliott and Sancho on deadline day. But did he sign any of them?”
"Maybe he is trying to make a point now by saying he doesn't need them. Harvey Elliott always lifts the tempo. He makes the runs, chases the goalkeeper, closes down properly. He is a good player. Maybe, he is not top-notch, but he should be getting games for Aston Villa."
Harvey Elliott
Elliott isn't un Unai Emery's plans(Image: Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images)
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Saunders added: "It is a strange one, isn't it? I think we are all thinking, what is going on there? If Harvey Elliott was at Liverpool, he would be in the team. It is not as big of a mystery as Dele Alli. That was a mystery, but the situation is still a bit similar to his."
Liverpool's squad is on the thin side at the moment, and Slot could certainly do with a player of Elliott's quality. Having represented both Liverpool and Villa this campaign, he is unable to join a third European club on loan or permanently in January.
Villa are reportedly interested in bringing in AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, further portraying how Elliott is surplus to requirements.
There is a possibility that Elliott could return to Liverpool this month, but Villa face a financial penalty for terminating the loan, which they are unlikely to do. Despite this, a move for Loftus-Cheek could encourage them to terminate it, as getting rid of him would free up space on the wage bill.