Harvey Elliott transfer latest as Liverpool opens talks with Aston Villa over new arrangement

Harvey Elliott has appeared in Aston Villa's last couple of games after going nearly four months without an appearance for the club that he joined on loan from Liverpool

Harvey Elliott's loan spell at Aston Villa has shown signs of life(Image: 2026 Aston Villa FC)

Aston Villa and Liverpool are set to hold talks over the possibility of changing the terms of the loan deal that took Harvey Elliott to Villa Park last summer.

Elliott joined Villa on a season-long loan deal in 2025, with the deal including an obligation for Villa to make the move permanent on the condition that the player made 10 appearances in all competitions. He made five appearances for Villa in the opening few weeks of the season, but was then exiled for several months due to Unai Emery's reservations over the player.

Emery admitted at the beginning of January that he hadn't been playing Elliott because he didn't want to trigger the compulsory buy option in the loan agreement.

"We have the issue with Harvey Elliott," Emery said. "Again, I am respecting all I can because he is a very good guy, a professional and respectful guy.

“The situation he has with us is something I must take a decision on, but trying not to damage the player as less as possible.

"He deserves the best for him... the problem we have with Harvey is that he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him.

Unai Emery does not want Elliott to complete a permanent move to Villa Park(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

“We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to. This is the only issue.

"He is training every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions.

"This is not something good for us and him, but this is football and sometimes we must make decisions."

Elliott went nearly four months without making an appearance for Villa, but returned to the squad recently and made substitute appearances against RB Salzburg and Brentford, to take his appearance tally for the Villans up to seven.

Despite bringing Elliott back into the picture, Villa remains unlikely to sign the player permanently – but Liverpool is seemingly willing to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

The current situation helps neither club, as it leaves Villa without the chance to use a player that it is paying, and it leaves Liverpool with a player whose value will only diminish if he does not play.

The talks between Villa and Liverpool over Elliott's future are not dependent on today's transfer deadline.

But the most likely outcome would surely be for the compulsory buy clause to be removed from the deal, allowing Emery to use Elliott more freely without the consequence of having to sign him permanently.