Liverpool and Aston Villa could now agree new Harvey Elliott deal as fresh talks mooted
Harvey Elliott’s immediate future remains in the balance after being frozen out at Aston Villa.
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 Unai Emery’s side will have to pay £35million to make the move permanent if he makes 10 appearances this season.
However, Elliott hasn’t been selected in Villa’s matchday squad for several weeks, with the 22-year-old appearing increasingly unlikely to seal a permanent switch to Villa Park.
Aston Villa and Liverpool told to have 'grown-up' Harvey Elliott conversation
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider Liverpool could offer to change Elliott’s deal from an obligation to an option-to-buy clause in a bid to help him secure more game time.
Liverpool are not keen on taking Elliott back to Anfield this month despite currently being without several key players.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “I think now that we know the issue, there is also a possibility that Liverpool and Villa get around the table and say, ‘Well, look, we understand that you're not going to trigger the 10 games. What if we said it was 20 games? What if we said that the obligation, we're going to convert it to just an option? Would you play the player more, rather than effectively sending him back or sending him on loan somewhere?’.
“I think they can have a grown-up conversation around it. I mean, Villa clearly are not going to play him if it triggers it. They've been pretty explicit there.
“It's probably a negotiation stance unless he's completely fallen out with the manager, in which case he's going to have to move.”
Where can Elliott move if Aston Villa exit agreed?
Elliott has made just five appearances for Villa, with his latest outing coming in the Europa League victory over Feyenoord in October.
The winger can’t be loaned out to another club this month unless their fixtures don’t align with the European calendar.
MLS clubs have been linked with a move to sign Elliott, but it remains unclear whether he would be in favour of such a move.
Meanwhile, Villa and Liverpool would also still have to come to an agreement over cutting his loan spell short in the West Midlands.
Emery’s side have enjoyed a strong campaign so far as they currently sit third in the Premier League table.
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