Harvey Elliott finds out what it's like at Charlotte FC thanks to Wilfried Zaha

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Harvey Elliott gets a firsthand glimpse of life at Charlotte FC, with Wilfried Zaha helping the midfielder understand the club and what a switch to MLS could involve

Harvey Elliott has struggled at Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)

Harvey Elliott has received a firsthand introduction to life at Charlotte FC, with Wilfried Zaha helping the England U21 midfielder get a feel for the club.

The MLS side is reportedly ready to offer the Liverpool midfielder a way out of his current deadlock. The 22-year-old, on loan at Aston Villa, has been sidelined under Unai Emery and is unlikely to feature for the remainder of the season.

While Villa could choose to end the loan early, Elliott is also not part of Liverpool boss Arne Slot’s plans, with no recall clause included in his deal.

Charlotte FC has reportedly secured the discovery rights to the England Under-21 international and could provide a clear pathway for him to return to regular football rather than spending the rest of the season on the sidelines.

Zaha was one of last winter’s most high-profile signings, drawing attention worldwide with his loan move from Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Charlotte supporters greeted him like a hero, hoping he could become the linchpin in their gradual rise toward trophy contention since joining the league in 2022—a twinkle-toed playmaker capable of transforming a pedestrian attack into something truly dynamic.

Charlotte manager Dean Smith, fomerly of Villa, said that he he and Zaha had visited Charlotte FC’s business staff, bringing a few boxes of donuts and personally thanking them for their hard work.

Any frustrations Zaha has faced online have been far outweighed by the genuine warmth and hospitality he’s experienced in North Carolina.

Wilfried Zaha joined Charlotte FC last winter(Image: Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)

“It's beautiful. This is a proper family-oriented place. It's actually refreshing how respectful and welcoming people are,” Zaha said earlier this summer. “I was weirded out at times by how nice people were. Like, you go into the lift [elevator], usually it's just an awkward silence ‘til you get to your floor. But here it's just like, ‘oh yeah, how's your day?’ When they get out, ‘have a good day.’

“I was like, does he want something? But this is just how everyone is here. So when I speak to friends and other football players about how it is here, it's just like, it’s pleasant. It's pleasantly surprising. It's really nice, the weather's lovely – I don't know what more you can ask for.”

Charlotte’s passionate support has helped make the club one of the MLS’s most vibrant markets, both in the city and at Bank of America Stadium.

That enthusiasm has also heightened expectations for their biggest star, with fans scrutinizing not only his on-field productivity but also finer details such as his body language and interactions with teammates.