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Harvey Elliott has made only five appearances for Aston Villa since his summer loan move from Liverpool, with the midfielder's £35 million ($47.2 million) permanent transfer now unlikely after Villa decided against triggering an obligation to buy
Harvey Elliott's ill-fated loan to Aston Villa has resulted in a mere five appearances, exclusion from the squad and his World Cup dreams virtually extinguished.
So, what's next for the midfielder? A summer deadline day transfer to Villa appeared to be an ideal scenario for Elliott. The Birmingham-based team, a rising force in the Premier League with European ambitions, seemed poised to offer the English midfielder what he yearned for: consistent playing time and a seemingly guaranteed £35 million ($47.2 million) permanent move to a top-six club on the horizon.
In total, Elliott managed only 822 minutes across all competitions during the 2024-25 season for Liverpool. His 2025-26 campaign for Villa, however, is shaping up to be even more disappointing from a personal standpoint.
READ MORE: Liverpool in talks to complete first January transfer window signingREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk's prediction for Jurrien Timber has come true ahead of Arsenal vs LiverpoolWhen Elliott joined Villa on an initial loan with an obligation to purchase should the midfielder reach 10 appearances, widely regarded as a mere formality. Liverpool bosses shrewdly inserted sell-on and buy-back clauses into the agreement, reflecting their faith in a player long viewed as one of England's brightest prospects.
However, Elliott has failed to earn Unai Emery's confidence, remaining stuck on just five outings across all competitions since mid-October. Only two of those were starts.
His debut came in the 1-1 stalemate with Brentford during the third round of the EFL Cup, where Villa were eliminated on penalties, though Elliott did find the net with the match's solitary goal. The second start, a 3-1 home victory over Fulham, saw Elliott hauled off at the interval, with Emery later addressing the player's adjustment period following the contest.
Clearly, Elliott's ability was never in doubt when Villa brought him in. Nevertheless, Villa has enjoyed a remarkable streak this season, with Emi Buendia getting the nod ahead of him.
The Midlands outfit secured 11 consecutive victories between their losses to Liverpool and Arsenal and remains within touching distance of a title bid should Arsenal falter before the campaign concludes.
His omission from even the substitutes' bench points to a deeper issue, however, one which Emery alluded to in his recent remarks about Elliott during his press conference prior to Villa's victory over Nottingham Forest.
Emery said: "The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches, we must buy him. We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him.
"This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day, with very good behavior, and to help us in training sessions. This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football, and sometimes we must take some decisions, which are not good for everyone."
Will Harvey Elliott move to the MLS?
Villa has sailed close to the wind regarding Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) in recent years, parting ways with its most promising academy product in Jacob Ramsey during the summer. In this scenario, it might be wiser for Villa to retain Elliott until June.
Villa has likely forked out a loan fee to secure his services for the season, along with a commitment to purchase, and it's known that there's no recall clause in the agreement. Any attempt to send Elliott back to Liverpool could potentially incur an extra charge.
With Villa performing well, there won't be much concern in Birmingham over Elliott's predicament. However, the player has probably missed his chance to catch Thomas Tuchel's eye ahead of the World Cup, and with Slot seemingly unconvinced as well, he would likely see little action even if he were to return to Anfield.
Since Elliott played for Liverpool before finalizing his loan deal, he can't be loaned out to another club this season unless that club's fixtures don't coincide with the European calendar. This sparked interest from former Villa manager Dean Smith's Charlotte FC in MLS, but Elliott is anticipated to turn down any offer from the United States.
Not only would playing in MLS be a significant downgrade for the Premier League winner, but with Charlotte FC not scheduled to play a competitive match until 21 February, Elliott would be looking at four months without any game time.
On Monday, The Athletic's James Pearce reported that there had been no communication from Villa regarding renegotiating the terms of the loan, indicating that keeping him for training until the season's end is the most probable scenario. At this stage, it appears any alteration in Elliott's situation would need to originate from Liverpool.
On the surface, Slot's team could certainly use a player like Elliott, who could provide an additional option in an attack hampered by injuries and Salah's participation in AFCON. Elliott's availability could also ease the burden on Florian Wirtz, who is grappling with a hamstring issue. However, the Liverpool manager has been reluctant to field players he doesn't seem to fully trust, as Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha can confirm.
Surely, a player with Elliott's determination and professionalism, coupled with his undeniable technical skills, could only bolster Liverpool. Elliott, a lifelong Liverpool supporter who achieved what most fans can only dream of, was visibly emotional at last year's trophy lift, highlighting the tough decision he made last summer.
While Elliott will undoubtedly aspire for more, a sentimental return to assist Liverpool - even if he still struggles to secure a starting spot - must be the best outcome for all involved.
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