Liverpool told how it can tweak Harvey Elliott agreement to unlock loanee at Aston Villa

Harvey Elliott has made just seven appearances for Aston Villa this season, with the Villans reluctant to use him due to their reservations over triggering the buy option in the loan agreement

Aston Villa player Harvey Elliott(Image: 2026 Getty Images)

Liverpool has been urged to tweak the terms of Harvey Elliott's loan agreement at Aston Villa in order to allow the youngster to feature more frequently for the remainder of the season.

Elliott joined Villa on a season-long loan deal last summer, 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.

Elliott returned to Villa's squad recently and made substitute appearances against RB Salzburg and Brentford, to take his appearance tally for the Villans up to seven.

However, Villa's stance on Elliott's future is believed to remain unchanged, leaving the player in an uncertain position with several months of the season remaining.

Former Villa chief executive Keith Wyness believes that Liverpool should increase the number of games that Elliott needs to play for Villa in order for the Midlands club to have to buy him.

“Well, I think it’s both clubs [that need to resolve the situation together],” Wyness told Football Insider. “They have really got to be sensible, look at the kid and his own future. They’ve got to do what’s best for him to a degree. This is one case where I actually do feel a little bit sorry for the player.

“He thought he was going to make the move, get his 10 appearances and that he’d play a bigger role than that with Villa.”

“I think it would be fair to put him up to 15 or 20 appearances. Then I think from Liverpool’s point of view that if he’s doing well, it will increase his value in the summer for other clubs that could come in.

“But I think there could be a deal done, and I think we should be able to get there. Both clubs have got an interest in getting this done, so they have just got to work it out and go on from there.”

Last week, Villa boss Emery admitted that Elliott's career is stagnating at Villa but said that Liverpool "have the key" to resolve the issue.

"I spoke with him," Emery said. "We have been fair because there are two ways. One way is sport, the second is business. We'll be fair in case, because we are trying it and I told him, I spoke a few times with Harvey.

"Now I am opening the door to play with us, because he can help us, but it's not only on my side.

"The other side is Liverpool, if they are taking off the clauses they have, to play matches and for us to buy him compulsory.

"[I said to him] 'you are going to play here with us, it's a sport decision'. But now it's a sport decision and a business decision.

"My sport decision is still there - 'you are deserving to play, we need your qualities in the field, you are going to play'. But in case, the clauses are still there and now it is Liverpool - they have the key."