Elliott is hoping for a ‘second chance’ at Liverpool after his testing loan spell at Villa Park.
Harvey Elliott admitted his loan spell at Aston Villa last season “didn't work out” as he had hoped.
The former Villa loanee is aiming to earn a second chance at Liverpool under new head coach Andoni Iraola after a frustrating campaign at Villa Park.
Harvey Elliott had a difficult loan spell at Aston Villa last seasonplaceholder image
Harvey Elliott had a difficult loan spell at Aston Villa last season | Getty Images
The 23-year-old made just nine appearances - totalling 277 minutes - after a clause in the loan agreement meant Villa would have been obliged to sign him for £35 million had he featured a 10th time.
Speaking after helping Liverpool to a 1-0 pre-season victory over Wrexham in New York, amid continued speculation over his future, Elliott said: “(Last season) I wanted a new challenge. I wanted to kind of go and explore something, come out of my comfort zone, (something) that I thought personally would take me on as a player.
“Unfortunately it didn’t work out but the way I see it, that was last season. Now I’m here, it’s kind of a second chance, if you want to call it that, especially with the gaffer and new coaching staff coming in, it’s a chance to impress.”
Harvey Elliott is back at Liverpool after a tough loan spell at Aston Villa.placeholder image
Harvey Elliott is back at Liverpool after a tough loan spell at Aston Villa. | Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Last season at Villa served as a major setback for Elliott, who a year ago was named player of the tournament as England under-21s won the European Championships.
Rather than pushing for a place at the World Cup, he instead spent his weeks training but knowing he would not be involved come the weekend.
Elliott said he attached no blame to Villa and has no hard feelings for a season spent mostly on the sidelines, insisting the club treated him well and kept him full informed of his situation, and that he looks at the year as a learning opportunity that came with success in the Europa League.
Elliott has continued to be linked with a possible move this summer, with Leeds, Sunderland and RB Leipzig among those credited with a possible interest.
“I’m wanting to be selfish, doing what’s right for me,” he said. “Whether that’s staying here and fighting for my place or whether that’s potentially going elsewhere I’m still unsure at the moment.
“But since the first day I walked through the door at the AXA (Training Centre) I’ve had a big beaming smile on my face. Putting the shirt on, I don’t want to take these moments for granted because last season I thought it was the last opportunity to do it.
“Now I’m back here wearing the strip again. I just want to be free and play as much as I can and enjoy it because sometimes it feels like I don’t do that enough.”