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Arne Slot has said Harvey Elliott’s move to Aston Villa is in the “best interest of everyone”.
The boyhood Liverpool fan bid farewell to the Reds on deadline day when he moved to Villa on loan, with an obligation to make the deal permanent for £35 million ($47M) next summer.
Elliott has struggled for minutes since Slot’s arrival last year and did not start a single Premier League game last term until after the title was wrapped up with four matches to spare. The 22-year-old has spoken several times over the summer about his need to play regular minutes, something he will hope to achieve at Villa Park this campaign.
Speaking on Friday ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Burnley this weekend, Slot praised Elliott’s attitude throughout the last year and said he repeatedly put the interests of the team before his own.
“Harvey is in a very good place going to a very nice club in Aston Villa,” said the Dutchman.
“It is in the interests of everyone. He didn’t get the playing time he deserved for the quality player he is. He conducted himself always so well.
“It wasn’t only that when he said this was his club that he wanted to say this to the fans, he acted inside with him not playing so much.
“He was always doing what was in the best interests of the club. He deserves a big compliment for that.
“Everyone always talks about Mo [Salah] and Virgil [van Dijk], when we win the league, but players like him were definitely also the reason we could win it because he was always positive.
“If he had to play five or 10 minutes, he helped the team in every decision he did. That is partly the success of the team that the ones that don’t play that much that much have the right mindset.
“I think he is completely ready now to show the quality he has at Aston Villa.”
Elliott could make his debut for the Villans this weekend, but is unlikely to receive a warm reception from the home crowd at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
He posted an emotional message to Liverpool fans after his move to Villa was confirmed, and also said Unai Emery was key in his decision to join the Midlands club.
“For me now, it's about kicking on as a player. The only way to do that is by playing games, and there's no better place to do that than here - especially with this manager, his philosophy, and the way he plays.
“Not only that, but his personal achievements as well. I was really drawn to it. I had a conversation with him, and I was blown away by how he spoke to me, how welcoming he was - that made me want it even more.
“I'm really looking forward to working with him. He's been very welcoming, and what he said to me even before I became a Villa player - it really took my heart.”
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