Harvey Elliott has made only seven appearances on loan at Aston Villa due to an obligation-to-buy clause that triggers at 10 games, with Unai Emery claiming the midfielder is being "damaged" by the situation
John Townley Aston Villa correspondent
12:48, 10 Feb 2026Updated 12:49, 10 Feb 2026
Harvey Elliott is struggling for minutes at Aston Villa
Harvey Elliott is struggling for minutes at Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott's Aston Villa nightmare shows no signs of ending.
Brought in on an initial loan from Liverpool on deadline day last September, the midfielder has managed just seven outings under Unai Emery. It's widely known that this stems from Emery's decision, taken months ago, not to exercise the option of signing Elliott on a permanent basis.
Villa face a compulsory £35 million ($47.9 million) purchase if Elliott makes 10 appearances for the club, meaning he can feature only twice more before activating the clause. A 10th outing in claret and blue, therefore, appears highly improbable unless the loan agreement's terms are renegotiated.
READ MORE: Paul Scholes thinks Arne Slot only has one way to save his job at Liverpool - 'Can't see it'READ MORE: Arne Slot uses Federico Chiesa example to sum up Liverpool's worst case scenario
For quite some time, Villa has been eager to remove its obligation to purchase Elliott, and the player could have been excused for reacting negatively to the circumstances. Nevertheless, it's understood that the former Fulham youngster has behaved impeccably at Villa.
Despite understandable frustration with his campaign, he hasn't slacked off in training and has demonstrated admirable professionalism. Emery has previously stated that the player is being "damaged" by the situation, urging Liverpool to lift the obligation and permit Villa to select him for the rest of the season.
What Emery said
"I spoke with him. We have been fair because there are two ways: one way is a sport, the second is business," Emery said last week.
"We'll be fair in case, because we are trying it, and I told him, we are opening the door to play with us, because he can help us. But it's not only in my way and on my side. The other side is Liverpool. If they take off the clauses to play matches and for us to buy him, (I said to him) 'You are going to play here with us, it's a sport decision.'
Elliott joined Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool at the start of the season
Elliott joined Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool at the start of the season(Image: Getty Images)
"But now it's a sport decision and a business decision. My sport decision is still there, 'You are deserving to play, we need your qualities in the field, you are going to play.' But in case the clauses are still there, now it is Liverpool - they have the key.
"And I told him, it will be fair for him in case Liverpool take off this clause. We are speaking about it (taking off the clause), but not (just) now. We started speaking about it three months ago. Of course, the transfer window finished on Monday.
"It will be fair for him, because he's a calm guy, good guy, and he's a fantastic professional. And then his qualities are there.
"Of course, he must play, and he's really being patient. And I know we are damaging him, because we got a deal with Liverpool in the summer and the deal is there, and we are respecting the decision and taking the sporting decision responsibly from my side.
"It can change for him, in case Liverpool take off this clause. If they don't want to, okay, but the player is getting damaged."
Will Liverpool remove the clause?
Villa still has 13 Premier League games remaining this season, alongside potentially seven more in the Europa League, and further FA Cup ties should the team advance in the competition. One reason Liverpool is unlikely to simply let Villa utilise Elliott without any advantage to themselves is due to the Reds being hot on their heels in the league table.
Villa is third in the table, eight points ahead of Liverpool in sixth. There's a good chance just one of those teams will qualify for next season's Champions League. Considering Liverpool is part of the chasing pack, essentially handing Villa a player for the final stretch of the season seems illogical unless there's a substantial financial gain involved.
Article continues below
Villa will likely face a penalty for not fulfilling its obligation to purchase Elliott, and any alteration to the terms allowing him to play without repercussions would probably inflate the fee further. However, Elliott doesn't seem to have a future at Liverpool and is anticipated to depart come summer. His transfer value diminishes with each week he remains off the pitch.
Impressive performances for Villa in the season's closing stages, coupled with a penalty fee, could potentially secure Liverpool a transfer fee close to the obligation fee that the Reds had initially accounted for. A possible resolution might involve Elliott only playing in the Europa League and FA Cup, ensuring Liverpool's league campaign remains unaffected.
The question that remains, however, is whether Elliott fits sufficiently into Villa's setup to be trusted to start in a semifinal, for instance, in the Europa League. His participation in those games could still prove advantageous for Villa, particularly considering the young talent Emery has at his disposal, especially in light of recent injuries.