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Harvey Elliott joined Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool in the summer and the two clubs are reportedly in talks over the terms of the deal
Harvey Elliott during an Aston Villa game
Harvey Elliott joined Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool last summer(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Here, Birmingham Live examines the latest developments regarding Harvey Elliott's future during his loan stint at Aston Villa....
Loan status at Aston Villa: Harvey Elliott will stay at Aston Villa for the rest of the 2025/26 season after the January transfer window closed. While there were talks about a possible early return to Liverpool, no deal was struck before the deadline due to there being no recall clause in the loan agreement.
The purchase obligation clause: The existing loan deal contains a clause that obliges Villa to sign Elliott permanently for £35 million should he make ten first-team appearances. Unai Emery has confirmed that the club decided months ago they are not prepared to make such a substantial financial outlay.
Current appearance count: Elliott has so far made seven appearances for Villa, meaning he is just three matches away from activating the obligatory transfer fee. This closeness to the threshold resulted in him being left out of the squad for several months to prevent activating the £35m payment.
Emerging injury crisis lifeline: Despite the transfer impasse, Elliott has recently been given a "lifeline" owing to long-term injuries affecting Villa midfielders Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, and Youri Tielemans. He recently made his first start in over 100 days during a Europa League fixture against RB Salzburg and came on as a substitute against Brentford, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Ongoing club negotiations: According to The Daily Mail, Liverpool and Villa are in discussions to amend the loan deal despite the transfer window having closed. Possible solutions being explored include increasing the appearance threshold above ten games or changing the mandatory obligation into an optional to buy.
Liverpool's stance and future: Liverpool reportedly had no clause to recall Elliott during the January window, with head coach Arne Slot suggesting that Elliott isn't part of his current plans. The 22-year-old is due to return to Anfield in the summer, where his long-term future remains uncertain.