Harvey Elliott has left an impression on Aston Villa coaches with his attitude, as doubts over the Liverpool star's future linger on
Aston Villa midfielder Harvey Elliott give the crowd two thumbs up
Harvey Elliott has reportedly made a positive impression on Aston Villa coaches despite his exile
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Harvey Elliott has earned praise from Aston Villa coaches for his commitment during training sessions despite the challenging season he's endured in the Midlands.
Elliott, 22, moved to Villa on a season-long loan last summer, which included a clause that Villa would make the move permanent provided the player made 10 appearances this term. He featured in five matches for Villa in the early weeks of the season but was then sidelined for several months due to Unai Emery's doubts about the player.
Emery confessed in January that he had been keeping Elliott off the pitch to avoid activating the mandatory purchase option in the loan deal. Elliott recently returned to Villa's squad and made substitute appearances against RB Salzburg and Brentford, bringing his total appearances for the club up to seven.
However, it's believed Villa's position on Elliott's future remains unchanged. And it leaves the player in a precarious situation with a few months of the campaign still to go.
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Former Nottingham Forest and Manchester City star Stuart Pearce said he has spoken to individuals at Villa about the situation. And according to him, they have nothing but good things to share about the Liverpool loanee.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "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.
Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa interacts with Unai Emery, head coach of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Aston Villa FC and FC Salzburg at Villa Park
Unai Emery has been reluctant to use Elliott's services this season(Image: Molly Darlington, Getty Images)
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"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."
However, there could be a glimmer of hope on the horizon for Elliott. This follows reports from earlier this week suggesting Villa and Liverpool are preparing to hold discussions aimed at renegotiating the terms of the loan arrangement.
Harvey Elliott in action for Aston Villa
Elliott is just three appearances away from triggering a clause that would force Villa to buy him for around £35m(Image: 2026 Aston Villa FC)
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The present circumstances benefit neither side. Villa are unable to utilise a player they're financing, while Liverpool are left with an asset whose market value will inevitably decline without regular game time.
The most probable resolution would appear to be the removal of the obligatory purchase clause from the agreement. This would enable Emery to deploy Elliott more regularly without being forced into making the transfer permanent.