1 hour ago
2
Harvey Elliott appears set to complete the season at Aston Villa, with a permanent signing next summer still on the cards.
According to The Athletic, there is no break clause in the deadline day deal that facilitated his move from Liverpool to Villa Park at the end of the summer transfer window. Elliott is on loan at Villa for the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign, with an agreement in place that obliges Villa to purchase him once he has made 10 appearances.
He has already clocked up five appearances, albeit only two starts, and has not been included in the matchday squad for the last two Premier League games for which he was eligible.
There have been murmurs of discontent regarding his situation, with Unai Emery known for his exacting standards when it comes to new players and their integration into his system.
However, all indications suggest that Elliott will remain at Villa Park and will not return to the Reds in January.
Football finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Villa is "almost certain" to trigger the clause, but added that delaying those games "allows them to move it in the financial year."
The Athletic further reports that neither Villa nor Liverpool has expressed a desire to cancel the deal.
Yet the West Midlands club did suggest that Liverpool views the fee as £35 million ($46 million), while Villa considers it closer to £30 million ($39.5 million).
What is clear is that Elliott cannot return to Liverpool and be loaned out to another team since having already played for both Liverpool and Villa.
He can't appear for a third club in the same season.
Unai Emery has previously outlined Elliott's exclusion.
He explained: "Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches, and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have.
"Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point).
"At the same time, we have other players who can play as a 10 and they are performing well, and I have different players."
English (US) ·