Liverpool might feel let down that Aston Villa haven't taken the chance to sign Harvey Elliott permanently, but to be angry about it would be hypocritical
Aston Villa's Harvey Elliott
Aston Villa's Harvey Elliott(Image: Getty Images)
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Harvey Elliott isn’t playing football - and the ball is in Liverpool’s court.
Aston Villa are not signing the 22-year-old for £35 million, as the Reds expected when they agreed to an obligation-to-buy clause in the loan deal.
Elliott joined Villa on deadline day in the summer, so there clearly wasn’t a queue of clubs willing to pay £35 million for the midfielder at the time, else he would've moved on weeks before.
With only hours left in the window, Liverpool had to be flexible, and whatever was said during negotiations ultimately doesn’t matter - Villa were not obliged to buy Elliott until he makes 10 appearances for the club.
Unai Emery quickly realised Elliott didn’t suit his structure as much as he may have hoped when Monchi recruited him in September.
Emi Buendia's impressive form this season is another reason Elliott hasn’t had many opportunities - and also why Villa do not want to commit £35 million to sign him.
Unlike Liverpool, Villa cannot afford to overpay for players or make mistakes in the market because their revenue streams are lower than those of the Premier League’s biggest commercial clubs.
Villa must look after their own interests, and if Emery does not believe Elliott is worth £35 million - after assessing him in training and matches - they will not pay that fee.
Whether Liverpool feel let down or not, it's frankly not Villa's problem. Would Liverpool fans have wanted Kenny Dalglish to play Andy Carroll 10 times if it meant signing him permanently for £35 million back in 2011, knowing he wasn't the right fit?
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This ordeal does not mean Emery doesn’t rate Elliott. In fact, Villa have been asking Liverpool for months to remove the buy obligation and would like to use him regularly in matches.
What has changed since the summer is that Liverpool are no longer competing for the league title. Instead, they are chasing Villa and would be unwise to provide a direct rival with Elliott for the final 12 matches of the season without conditions attached.
Would Liverpool have been willing to sell Elliott on 'unfavourable' terms to Villa knowing they would be direct competitors for a Champions League place this season? Probably not.
That question appears to be answered now: Liverpool want Elliott playing to retain his value - but not at their own expense.
Just as Villa have protected their own interests, Liverpool now appear to be doing the same by not allowing a Champions League rival to benefit from one of their players.
Even if they want Villa to pay more money as part of a ‘penalty package’ for not signing Elliott, the principle remains the same. The player will be their asset in the summer, not Villa's.
Elliott wants to play. Villa want to play him. Liverpool wanted him to play - but do they feel the same if it harms their chances of returning to the Champions League?
Being angry at Villa for not buying Elliott is one thing, but preventing him from playing for self-interest is hypocritical. Both clubs are protecting their own positions, and Elliott has unfortunately been the victim.
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