Aston Villa have made ‘surprising’ Harvey Elliott decision, Liverpool return now possible
Harvey Elliott’s loan spell at Aston Villa isn’t going according to plan after he’s been frozen out by Unai Emery in recent weeks.
Elliott joined Villa on loan from Liverpool at the end of the summer transfer window after falling out of favour at Anfield.
An obligation-to-buy clause was included in the deal, meaning the West Midlands side will have to pay £35million to make the move permanent if he makes 10 appearances this season.
Elliott has been left of Villa’s matchday squad for the past three Premier League games, but one of those fixtures was against his parent club.
However, Elliott was an unused substitute for Villa’s 2-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv last week, indicating the 22-year-old hasn’t been carrying an injury.
Aston Villa ‘almost certain’ to trigger Harvey Elliott clause
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider it’s “surprising” Emery doesn’t seem keen on playing Elliott after signing him just over two months ago.
There have been suggestions Liverpool could want Elliott back at Anfield after their struggles in recent weeks.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “I think that the 10 games will have been something where they know it’s almost certain to happen, but the deal won’t happen until the condition is met.
“It allows them to move it in the financial year.
“The only slightly surprising thing is that they don’t seem that keen on playing him very much.”
Elliott has started in two of his five appearances for Villa, registering one goal in the process.
The midfielder’s last outing came as a late substitute in the Europa League victory over Feyenoord on 2 October, while he hasn’t featured in the Premier League since September.
Liverpool could be contemplating Elliott transfer U-turn
Borson suggested Villa and Liverpool may both now be against Elliott making the permanent move to Villa Park.
“I wonder whether there is still some question where, although they envisage he definitely would not go back to Liverpool, maybe there is some sort of contemplation that there is a world where he goes back now and they say that they don’t fancy it for whatever reason, or both parties don’t fancy it,” said Borson.
“I don’t know. He was left out of the squad recently, where it was a bit surprising.
“Ten games is really not very many, so I think it’s going to be very hard for them to not complete on that transaction.”
Elliott previously registered 15 goals and 20 assists in 149 appearances for Liverpool.
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