(Credit: Imago)

Callum O'Connell

Tue 19 May 2026 18:15, UK

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Harvey Elliott has emerged as a target for Leeds United as he is increasingly likely to leave Liverpool after returning from a nightmare spell at Aston Villa.

The 23-year-old is not expected to be part of Arne Slot’s plans next season and will be allowed to leave permanently should the right offer arrive.

This comes as Aston Villa have sidelined his development for a year as they aim to avoid paying a £35million obligation which would be triggered after 10 games.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Elliott will be keen to play regularly next season and a move to Leeds could be prefect for all parties.

Unai Emery has openly confessed that the situation with the midfielder has been “embarrassing” for Villa, but he could now be part of Leeds’ ambitious transfer plans.

Could Leeds capitalise on Harvey Elliott’s situation?

Former Villa CEO Keith Wyness told Football Insider in December that Elliott would have to sacrifice his season and see out his spell at Villa Park from the sidelines.

He has featured just nine times under Emery this season, and just four times since the turn of the year, with ten appearances needed to trigger a permanent deal.

As he prepares to return to Liverpool, the midfielder’s priority is to play regular minutes next season, and if Leeds can offer that then they will be a good landing spot.

“Leeds want to be ambitious in the transfer market,” Brown told Football Insider.

“Harvey Elliott is somebody who could really improve their team, he’s a quality player and would bring something different that they haven’t already got.

“I would have to ask questions about what his best position is, will they play him in the middle or could he play out wide? That’s the issue he has.

“After everything that’s happened at Aston Villa, he has got to get back to playing regularly.

“Wherever he goes next season, because he’s not going to be part of Liverpool’s plans, he needs assurances that he is going to play every week.

“If Leeds can offer him that, it would be a very good destination for him to go an reignite his career because he’s wasted a year on loan at Aston Villa.

“It’s difficult to understand why they agreed to the deal in the first place, it really is terrible from them, but now the focus has to be on his next steps.”

How do Liverpool feel about selling Elliott?

Liverpool have been extremely disappointed in the situation surrounding Elliott’s loan spell at Villa Park, having hoped to bank a significant fee from his exit.

From the player’s position as well, both clubs are disappointed with the outcome, as they have cost him one year of development at a crucial stage of his career.

Football Insider revealed last month that Elliott will be allowed to leave Liverpool as part of a major reshuffle of their first-team plans this summer.

There is no shortage of interest in him, however, with clubs from the Premier League and Bundesliga having been keeping tabs on his situation since last summer.

The likes of RB Leipzig and Tottenham were both heavily linked last year, and could reignite that interest as he prepares to leave Anfield.