Harvey Elliott has endured a season on the sidelines at Aston Villa, and while Arne Slot sympathised with his situation, it is not for him to “answer why.”
Elliott has played only 277 minutes over nine appearances since his move to Villa last summer, with Unai Emery quickly deciding against utilising the 23-year-old.
His initial loan deal came with an obligation to buy for £35 million, triggered when he made 10 Premier League appearances, but he has made only four.
It left his season in limbo as Emery had committed to not using or signing him, and Slot continually reiterated that he did not consider Elliott a Liverpool player.
“He’s an Aston Villa player. So if you want to ask things about an Aston Villa player, you should ask Unai Emery,” Slot insisted in January when there was debate over ending his loan.
With Liverpool facing Villa on Friday, Elliott was a focus pre-match, and Slot confirmed he will return for pre-season: “He’s contracted to us, so he will be with us at the start of the season.”
Arne Slot addresses Harvey Elliott’s disappointing season
As for the disappointment of a season spent on the sidelines, Slot insisted it was not for him to answer why Elliott’s has seen so few minutes, as he expressed disappointment over the loan.
“I think for him, for everyone, it didn’t work out as he wanted it, as we wanted it, and probably also how Villa wanted it,” Slot told reporters.
Aston Villa's Harvey Elliott (right) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Carabao Cup third round match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London. Picture date: Tuesday September 16, 2025.
“You usually sign a player or bring him in on loan to use him, but that hasn’t happened a lot, and that’s not for me to answer why that is.
“But of course, it’s never nice for a player not to make so many minutes, especially after the season he had with us, where he made, I assume, I’m not even sure, but I assume he made more minutes with us than these 280.
“But he he went over there to get more playing time. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
“For such a talented player that did so well in the U21 Euros, you want a player like that to get more and more playing time.
“He went to a very, very good team as well, where they also have a lot of good players. I don’t know why he hasn’t made the minutes he was expecting, but that’s not for me to answer.
“It’s always a pity if a player hardly plays for two years, let alone a player of that age that has shown during the Euros that he’s such a good player.”