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Liverpool has been told to bring Harvey Elliott back into the squad for the second half of the season amid his ongoing Aston Villa exile.
Elliott has not appeared for Villa since the beginning of October, and he was last included in a matchday squad for a Premier League game on October 19.
Elliott joined Villa on loan from Liverpool during the summer transfer window, and the deal includes a clause for Villa to make the move permanent if Elliott makes 10 appearances for the Midlands club. He has currently made five.
Unai Emery recently said that the good performances of Emiliano Buendia, who has revived his Villa career in recent months, is one of the reasons behind Elliott's recent lack of game time.
Another theory that has been reported – and seems logical – was that Villa's decision to sign Elliott in the first place was heavily influenced by Monchi, the club's former president of football operations.
Monchi left Villa less than a month after Elliott signed for the club, and disagreements between Monchi and Emery over Villa's transfer targets was reportedly one of the main reasons for his departure.
Elliott finds himself in a tough spot, as FIFA rules stipulate that a player cannot appear for more than two clubs in a single season.
Elliott has already made appearances for both Liverpool and Villa, so his only hopes of playing again this term are to break through at Villa or to return to Liverpool and play for Arne Slot's team.
Former Liverpool player Don Hutchison believes the Reds should recall Elliott to bolster the numbers in Slot's squad, particularly considering the amount of injuries that Liverpool are currently dealing with.
"If you're Liverpool, you're probably best off bringing him back and keeping him in the squad," Hutchison, who played for Liverpool between 1991 and 1994, told Odds Boom.
"They only had a short number on the bench at the weekend and, probably that's why Mo Salah was a little bit fortunate that he made the bench, because you know, Gakpo was injured, Endo was injured, and Bradley was suspended. So I think it'll be a good move from Liverpool to bring him back.
"But it's bizarre how he's not got any game time over at Villa."
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