Keith Wyness: Aston Villa could now agree cut-price Harvey Elliott deal
Aston Villa want to negotiate a lower price for Harvey Elliott than the £35million which was agreed in the loan deal.
That is according to ex-Aston Villa, Everton, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes negotiation will happen between Aston Villa and Liverpool over a permanent deal for Elliott.
Aston Villa signed Elliott on loan at the start of the season, and the 22-year-old would move permanently to Unai Emery’s side for £35m if he made 10 appearances for the club.
Elliott’s loan spell at Aston Villa was in doubt in the January window, but the midfielder has featured in the club’s past two games, and he will stay put until the end of the season.
Aston Villa to have ‘discussion’ over Harvey Elliott
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – thinks Emery does “see something” in Elliott.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes Aston Villa will not want to pay £35m for the Liverpool loanee.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, if we look at it, the deal as reported is that he was allowed 10 appearances and then that would trigger an automatic purchase at £35million.
“So if I was going into this discussion, I think I’d be looking to say, okay, we might give you potentially maybe 15 or 20, but you’ve got to give us 15 or 20 appearances before that comes in. So there’ll be give and take on both sides.
“It doesn’t suit either club at the moment, I think Emery sees something in him. He played him 90 minutes in Europe. So there’s something there obviously, and he is a talented player. I think Harvey Elliott is a good player, and he’ll do very well for somebody. But I think that, certainly for Villa, they’ve decided that they can get him for cheaper than £35million.”
Jadon Sancho future remains unclear
Aston Villa also have to make a decision about Man United loanee Jadon Sancho, whose future is uncertain.
The Villains do not have an option to buy Sancho in his loan deal, meaning the 25-year-old is currently expected to head back to Man United when the campaign finishes.
Sancho has only scored one goal for the club this season, and has been mostly used off the bench by Emery.