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Harvey Elliott’s move to Aston Villa in search of regular appearances may have ended prematurely.
After a four-month trial at Villa Park, it has been confirmed that the 22-year-old midfielder’s stay in the Midlands will not become a permanent deal, and he is expected to return to Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has almost confirmed that the club have no intention of triggering the buyout clause originally included in his contract.
The clause was reportedly worth £35 million and was due to be triggered automatically once Harvey Elliott reached 10 appearances for Villa.
However, with the player struggling to find a place within Emery’s tactical framework, Villa have opted to keep the youngster out of action to avoid financial burden, leaving a mid-season return to Anfield as the only logical solution.
What Arne Slott said about Harvey Elliott
At the pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s game against Wolves, head coach Arne Slott was asked directly about the possibility of reintegrating a “world-class” player into a squad currently weakened by Alexander Isak’s serious injury.
Slott declined to comment much on the situation, saying:
“Harvey is an Aston Villa player. He’s going to be there for a season. If you have any questions about him, the best place to ask them is Villa. My first and only thoughts are about the upcoming games. The two games at home against Wolves and against Leeds are difficult games. The available players and the fans need to give their all.”
Despite Slott’s resolute stance, the injury list at Anfield is growing, including Isak’s broken foot and Mohamed Salah’s withdrawal from AFCON, and the Dutchman could be forced to use Elliott once the January window officially opens.
Elliott returning to Liverpool in January would make the most sense
Harvey Elliott’s return to Merseyside comes with significant problems.
Liverpool fans are hoping he will be integrated into the squad or loaned elsewhere for the remainder of the season, but FIFA rules pose a major hurdle.
Elliott has already represented two clubs this season, having made a brief appearance for Liverpool in August before joining Villa.
Under current rules, players cannot play for a third club in a season. This means Elliott will not be able to join another Premier League or European team on loan this January. He must either remain at Liverpool as a team option or defect and remain at Villa Park.
Given Emery’s public stance, a return to the AXA training center would be the most likely outcome for everyone involved.
