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Harvey Elliott faces an uncertain future | Getty Images
Harvey Elliott has experienced a challenging start to life at Villa Park since his summer loan move
Despite talks between Aston Villa and Liverpool on transfer deadline day, it appears unlikely that anything will change in regards to the terms of Harvey Elliott’s loan deal from Anfield.
Elliott, who played a combined total of 149 matches for Liverpool, including a brief one-minute came on matchday two against Newcastle United, joined Aston Villa in the summer on deadline day on a 12-month loan deal, which included an obligation to make the deal a permanent for a figure of £35m if he played 10 matches or more for the Lions.
Harvey Elliott’s frustrating start to life at Aston Villa
When Elliott moved to Villa Park, it was seen as a real statement of intent as they attracted a youngster, who appeared to have the world at his feet after his heroics in the Under-21 European Championship for England.
He made his debut soon after signing in a 0-0 draw with Everton in September, and went on to score in his first start against Brentford in the League Cup, before also appearing as a sub against Everton and Sunderland. He started in a 3-1 victory against Fulham but was subbed at half time before making a brief cameo against Feyenoord in the Europa League. That took his overall tally of appearances to six across all competitions.
Naturally it looked like a formality that Elliott would become a Villa player at this stage before bizarrely the London-born midfielder was frozen out of the squad for the best part of three months.
Neither of these things materialised in January, as Elliott returned from the cold to play in a 13-minute cameo against Brentford while playing the full 90 minutes against Red Bull Salzburg in the club’s final European outing, taking his appearances to the season for eight.
The 22-year-old is now just two appearances away from becoming a permanent Aston Villa player, although it’s still doubtful whether he’ll ever get to reach that feat, despite injuries to key midfielders Boubacar Kamara - out until next season - John McGinn and Youri Tielemans (both of whom are out for months, not weeks) which have left Villa light in the area of the pitch Elliott plays in.
Elliott receives praise for his attitude despite being in transfer limbo
Journalist James Pearce has claimed that despite a frustrating season, Elliott is still showing why Jurgen Klopp and the Reds supporters liked him, with his attitude and application shining once again.
“I really feel for Harvey Elliot because you know you speak to people at Villa and they’ve only got positive things to say about him in terms of his attitude and application in training every day,” he told TalkSPORT.
“It’s just really unfortunate that for whatever reason Emery doesn’t seem to fancy him, doesn’t want Villa to have to pay the 35 million pounds that’s written into the agreement if he plays 10 or more appearances for Villa this season. So he’s stuck in limbo.”
Aston Villa face Bournemouth at the weekend as uncertainty surrounding Elliott’s role in the squad continues to surface just has it has done all season.
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