Harvey Elliott is reportedly waiting until pre-season begins before deciding on his Liverpool future, with the winger setting himself a deadline to assess his role under new manager Andoni Iraola
07:28, 02 Jul 2026Updated 07:32, 02 Jul 2026
Harvey Elliott faces an uncertain future
Harvey Elliott faces an uncertain future(Image: Aston Villa, Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott's footballing career stands at a pivotal moment ahead of a possible Liverpool departure this summer. And the winger has a 'deadline' in mind for when he expects to witness some progress under Andoni Iraola before deciding on a transfer away.
Last season presented the opportunity to be career-defining for Elliott following his season-long loan switch to Aston Villa. The 23-year-old appeared relatively comfortable with the prospect of departing Liverpool at that stage, particularly as the arrangement featured an obligatory purchase clause once he reached 10 appearances.
The transfer ultimately proved unsuccessful, though, as Villa concluded they weren't keen on acquiring what the Reds were offering. Consequently, Elliott ended up in an untenable position and managed just nine appearances for Unai Emery's side, with merely four of those occurring between January and May.
A fresh chapter has commenced at Anfield now, however, offering Elliott and several other players the opportunity to begin again. Therefore, The Athletic has revealed the midfielder intends to wait until the new campaign's start date draws nearer before deciding whether he must depart.
For his part, former Bournemouth boss Iraola remains dedicated to the principle of giving every player their opportunity to shine. But while others are away at World Cup 2026, Elliott has an unusual opportunity to provide his new manager with a more detailed glimpse of what he can contribute, reports the Liverpool Echo.
"We've analysed Liverpool a lot. Possible weaknesses, the strengths," Iraola said earlier this summer. "I think we have a very good squad. I think there is still work to do, like normally in every club in this moment of the season. But right now, for me the thing is to value especially the players that we have right now in the squad.
"For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings. For me, you are all new signings, and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I'm] really looking forward to working with them."
New Reds boss Andoni Iraola
New Reds boss Andoni Iraola(Image: Matthew Lewis, Getty Images)
Elliott enjoyed a productive debut season under Arne Slot, registering a joint career-best of five Premier League goals on the road to the title. Yet a host of summer acquisitions in 2025 apparently persuaded the player that his pursuit of regular first-team football would be better suited elsewhere.
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That may yet prove to be the case before the summer transfer window closes. Liverpool have fewer than two weeks remaining before reconvening for pre-season, and Iraola may well determine that the winger holds a more central role in his plans than previous managers afforded him.
Liverpool will be heartened by the fact that several key players have already concluded their World Cup campaigns. Germany's surprise elimination at the hands of Paraguay means Florian Wirtz will be available earlier following a period of rest, while Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil van Dijk are also back after the Netherlands fell to Morocco.
Nevertheless, Elliott will have plenty of chances to demonstrate his quality in the weeks ahead before any definitive decision is reached regarding his future. He will, however, be keen to avoid repeating last season's errors, after an unfortunate contract situation all but robbed him of an entire year of development.