Harvey Elliott Liverpool return explored as injuries pile up for Arne Slot

Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has been left frustrated by his lack of game time at Aston Villa this season, with the possibility of terminating his loan deal emerging

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

Liverpool faces a series of significant decisions in the January transfer window, with the immediate future of Harvey Elliott topping the list.

Elliott, the former England youth international, was signed as a teenager from Premier League competitors Fulham and has since racked up nearly 150 senior appearances for the Reds across all competitions, netting 15 goals along the way.

One of those goals came against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League's round of 16 last season, providing Liverpool with a vital lead going into the second leg at Anfield. However, that was one of just five goals Elliott scored throughout the entire campaign, as he found regular playing time hard to come by under head coach Arne Slot.

Consequently, it wasn't surprising when the 22-year-old was heavily linked with a move away from Anfield during the summer. The move eventually materialised on deadline day, with Elliott signing for Aston Villa on a season-long loan, which could become a permanent deal if he reaches a certain number of appearances.

Regrettably, it's been another challenging season for Elliott, and his dreams of making Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad seem to have evaporated. This is not only due to the fierce competition for places in the Three Lions' squad, but also because his playing time at Villa Park has been virtually non-existent recently.

Elliott has only featured in five matches across all competitions and hasn't been included in a matchday squad since October. Despite Villa's coaching staff reportedly being impressed with his dedication and effort in training, he has been consistently overlooked by Villa manager Unai Emery.

Elliott could still return to Liverpool in January(Image: Getty Images)

Emery has essentially confirmed that Villa will not be signing him on a permanent basis, leaving Elliott's immediate future uncertain. His lack of game time and exclusion from squads can be attributed to Villa's reluctance to activate his purchase clause.

A BBC Sport report earlier this month confirmed that there is no recall clause in the agreement that saw Elliott join Villa.

While it's possible the deal could be terminated altogether, this doesn't take into account that Liverpool's management likely factored his sale into their budget.

FIFA regulations stipulate that a player cannot represent more than one club in a single season. Elliott's brief appearance for Liverpool against Newcastle at the start of the campaign means the deal can't be terminated just to loan him out again.

If he were to return to Anfield, he would have to spend the rest of the season with Liverpool. In some instances, this could be seen as a boon for Slot, given the increasing number of injuries within the squad.

Alexander Isak is the latest casualty, having been forced to leave the pitch just 10 minutes after coming on against Tottenham on Saturday due to a collision with Micky van de Ven.

Cody Gakpo is also nursing an injury, while Mohamed Salah is currently representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Wataru Endo is also unavailable due to injury, leaving Slot heavily reliant on his existing midfielders and with limited options on the bench.

Florian Wirtz was seen hobbling off the pitch in the final moments of the victory over Spurs on Saturday, clutching the back of his leg, likely suffering from cramp. This is nonetheless worrying for the Reds, who can ill afford any further injury setbacks.