Harvey Elliott seriously let down during Aston Villa loan, he deserved so much better
Harvey Elliott has lost an entire season of football after joining Aston Villa on loan in search of more minutes on the pitch.
He did what any other 23-year-old would have done in his scenario. Starts were hard to come by under Unai Emery, so he made the brave decision to leave Liverpool to aid his career trajectory.
Unai Emery looked like the perfect manager to get his career back on track, but it wasn't to be, as the player made just nine appearances in total, being boxed in by the clause in his contract.
Villa had no desire to sign Elliott permanently, so 12 months on from joining on loan, he has just three starts to his name across all competitions, racking up a measly 101 minutes in the Europa League.
Harvey Elliott has been stuck on the bench at Aston Villa
Despite playing a minute role in the Villans' Europa League-winning campaign, starting his only game against RB Salzburg back in January, Elliott still gets to come away with a winners' medal.
He also joined in the celebrations at the full-time whistle on Wednesday, 20 May, trying to find the funny side on his social media post, joking about his lack of game time.
Although it has been a disappointing season for the 23-year-old, he still clearly has a lot of love for the Villa faithful, wanting them all to "enjoy themselves" following the 3-0 win over Freiburg.
| Harvey Elliott at Aston Villa | Games | Starts | Goals | Assists |
| Premier League | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Carabao Cup | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Europa League | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
In short, Elliott has wasted an entire year of his career at Villa Park. He continues to find the bright side, but it would be so much easier for him to resent the club, rather than celebrate the team's achievements.
What could be next for the Liverpool loanee?
The loanee needs to ensure that his next move is the right one for him. He cannot afford to have his development stunted again or get stuck in another impossible situation.
Mick Brown told Football Insider that Leeds United are eyeing up Elliott on a loan deal ahead of next season, but the club's treatment of Facundo Buonanotte might put him off.
It has been an absolute nightmare for the youngster. But whichever club decides to take a punt on him will be signing a very talented player, and one who just needs to be given the platform to perform.
As a football fan, it has been difficult to watch the season completely pass him by. He's been failed by Liverpool and Villa, but he has taken it on the chin brilliantly.