Harvey Elliott is in the Aston Villa starting XI to take on Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League with the Liverpool loanee brought back from the cold by Unai Emery out of the blue.
Making his sixth appearance for Aston Villa and his first since October, Elliott is a surprise inclusion in the team. Emery said earlier in the week that he would be in the squad, but the expectation would be that he would remain on the bench.
"There are still five days to finish the window," Emery said in his pre-match press conference. "Everything we accepted before, only some injuries can change it, like Douglas Luiz is a player joining us because we had injuries in center midfield.
"With Harvey, it's not changing. Our idea is that we spoke to him clearly. He's a fantastic guy.
"On Sunday, he was on the bench, and if we needed some help from him, he was ready to do it. He is in the squad tomorrow. But the situation is not changing for him that he has now."
Emery has previously outlined that he doesn't want to sign Elliott permanently and he therefore hasn't been picking him. There has been a suggestion that if he plays 10 times for the Midlands outfit, the transfer will be triggered.
Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St James' Park on January 25, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Harvey Elliott remains in limbo at Aston Villa. (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
In recent weeks, high-flying Aston Villa has lost Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara to injury. Emery has also brought back Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz on loan.
Elliott has been linked with a move to MLS, with Charlotte FC one option on the table, but it is thought that he isn't keen on such a move.
If he doesn't stay at Villa Park, he cannot join another team in Europe having already played for both Aston Villa and Liverpool.
"He was one of those players that came in on the last day of the window alongside Jadon Sancho and [Victor] Lindelof at the back," Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports last week.
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"The guy who brings them in I think leaves a few days later, Monchi. Unai Emery’s probably not best pleased, they’re probably not his type of players, he hasn’t really used them.
"[Elliott] used to be brilliant at Liverpool for a few years off the bench, he could make an impact from there, and it’ll be really interesting to see whether he uses him today. I don’t think he will."
Elliott is joined in the Aston Villa team by Emiliano Buendia, who he is playing alongside in addition to Jadon Sancho and Ollie Watkins.
In the summer, Buendia looked set to leave but has since made himself a mainstay, with Elliott the man who has been impacted the most by that upturn in form.