Former Villa chief executive Purslow, who was also once Liverpool’s managing director, says 'everyone loses' if the situation is not resolved
Harvey Elliott of Aston Villa
Harvey Elliott(Image: Getty Images)
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Unai Emery has been urged to meet with Liverpool chief executive Michael Edwards to finally try to sort out the Harvey Elliott mess at Aston Villa.
The situation between the two clubs has been dragging on for months now, with Elliott in complete limbo.
And former Villa chief executive Christian Purslow, who was also once Liverpool’s managing director, says “everyone loses” if it is not resolved.
Elliott joined Villa on loan for the season from Liverpool, with the deal including an obligation for Villa to buy him for £35m if he played 10 matches for the club.
But Emery does not want to sign Elliott permanently and so has only played him seven times so far this season to avoid triggering the clause.
The Villa boss publicly urged Liverpool to agree to removing the clause at the end of last week, but talks between the two clubs have hit an impasse.
Speaking on the Football Boardroom podcast, Purslow said: “The deal that was done, maybe by (former Villa transfer chief) Monchi and not by Unai Emery, has a perverse incentive for Unai not to pick the footballer.
“That is utterly and completely dysfunctional. Nobody benefits. Common sense would suggest compromise is required. You have a quiet word with the two sides and try to get them together.
“Unai needs to get together with the key player on the Liverpool side. This is Michael Edwards level - he is the CEO of football. He believed he had sold Harvey Elliott on a deferred transfer and it hasn't worked out.
“Unai and Michael in a room. Unai would say 'He's not going to play because we do not want to buy him.'
“If I were Unai, I would say 'If I didn't have this contract hanging over my head, there is a really good chance Harvey would get plenty of football between now and the summer.’
“I believe that if the three parties all agree, they could modify the agreement. Liverpool have plugged into their financial models that they will receive a transfer fee for Harvey next summer but he is not going to be bought by Villa.
“If I were Michael Edwards, I would think that if he gets more minutes at Villa between now and the end of the season, his value will be maintained higher. But if he doesn't play football for a purely contractual reason for the next four months, everyone loses.”
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