Harvey Elliott's difficult loan spell at Aston Villa has left the Liverpool midfielder at a career crossroads with just 13 Premier League minutes since September
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s and James Findlater Content Editor
09:26, 21 Feb 2026
Harvey Elliott of Liverpool applauds the fans during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool v Athletic Club Bilbao at Anfield on August 4, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
Harvey Elliott looks likely to return to Liverpool in the summer following his loan spell at Aston Villa(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott stands at a pivotal moment in his career following the Liverpool midfielder's challenging loan stint at Aston Villa.
Elliott made the temporary switch to Villa at the beginning of the campaign after slipping down the hierarchy under Arne Slot. Yet what could have served as a chance to demonstrate his worth to the Dutch manager has instead become somewhat of an ordeal in the Midlands, despite his continued commitment during training sessions.
The 22-year-old has clocked up merely seven outings across all competitions for Villa, with only three of those being from the starting XI. Just four of those appearances have come in the Premier League, where he has been on the pitch for just 13 minutes since September.
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Elliott's limited playing time is understood to be connected to a reported loan arrangement which dictates that Villa are required to purchase the ex-Fulham player for £35 million ($47M) once he completes 10 matches for them. With seven appearances to his name following a brief substitute appearance against Brentford earlier this month, it seemed improbable he would feature again in the near future.
Nevertheless, it has now come to light that the arrangement solely pertains to Premier League fixtures, meaning Elliott could, theoretically, see more action in the top-flight this season. Nevertheless, Unai Emery has opted to consistently leave Elliott on the sidelines, and the young player now finds himself at a pivotal moment – both presently and come the summer, reports the Liverpool Echo.
With his position at Villa remaining uncertain and an Anfield contract running until 2027, we examine the various paths available to Elliott and Liverpool when the transfer window opens.
Liverpool return
Elliott's devotion to Liverpool dates back to his arrival in the U23s setup in 2019. He made his top-flight bow in 2020 after a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers and has subsequently appeared 149 times for the Reds.
Following his contract extension in 2021, Elliott spoke passionately about the club he calls home. He said: "The love ever since the first day has been enormous. I've received so many messages. I'm thankful for everything they have given to me.
"Their support to us boys is like having a 12th man on the pitch, to be honest, and we've missed them a lot. This year will be nice to have them back, nice to have them in the stadiums, and hopefully we can prove them right this year and go and do it again.
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"They are unbelievable, the fans are truly one of us; they keep us going and keep us positive. We just want to do everything for them, we want to win for them. [We'll] give it 100 per cent."
Despite Slot's apparent reservations about Elliott last summer, that doesn't necessarily signal the end of his time at Anfield. His commendable attitude and commitment whilst on loan at Villa speaks volumes about his character, and the club is already well aware of the quality he brings to the table.
He has netted 15 goals and contributed 21 assists in red, claiming a couple of Premier League titles and several domestic cups along the way. A determined character like Elliott may well fancy his chances of forcing his way back into Slot's starting line-up come the summer.
Jurgen Klopp reunion
During the summer of 2025, ESPN reported that RB Leipzig had shown interest in signing Elliott permanently from Liverpool. At that point, the Reds were reluctant to part with the midfielder on a permanent basis and felt no pressure to do so.
However, with the 22-year-old finding game time hard to come by at Villa, Slot seemingly unconvinced and his contract running until 2027, Elliott may weigh up a switch to Germany — and he already has a familiar face there. Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp took up a role at Red Bull as head of global soccer following his Anfield departure, and could potentially facilitate such a deal.
Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool, embraces Harvey Elliott of Liverpool after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage on April 21, 2024 in London, England.
Elliott could look to his former boss for help(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Following Klopp's exit from Anfield, Elliott shared with Amazon Prime the profound impact the former boss has had on him and the club. He said: "I'm surprised there isn't a statue of him yet. You know he's built the team up, won so many things, and he has that legacy which I think will live forever, for many, many years, until I'm even dead it will go on.
"And he deserves it, what he's done to this team, the way he's built it up and made it like a family. The players, the fans, everyone in this building, or even around the world, everyone feels together, and that's because of him.
"You know, the way he is as a person, and the way he handles everything that comes his way... He's a legend in my eyes, and he will be a legend of this club forever. Now it's like you look back on these times and in the moment you don't really think about these things becasue as a player it's always about the next game, you can't get too overwhelmed with these situations. But looking back, as I say, he's a legend."
Premier League transfer
Should Liverpool and Elliott mutually agree that parting ways is the right course of action, a transfer to another top-flight club could materialize. There's likely to be considerable attention from suitors keen on a talent who has demonstrated his abilities in English football's elite division, whilst his remaining contract length and a potential drop in valuation due to restricted game time may prove attractive.
Prior to his move to Aston Villa, West Ham was among the clubs reportedly keen on Elliott. More recently, Leeds has also been touted as a potential destination for the midfielder.
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What lies ahead for the Liverpool star remains to be seen, though it appears the youngster faces a pivotal summer ahead.