Harvey Elliott’s future is far from certain once he returns from his loan spell at Aston Villa
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
07:00, 21 Feb 2026
Harvey Elliott has a lot to consider(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott finds himself at a career crossroads following the Liverpool star’s difficult loan spell at Aston Villa.
Elliott joined Villa on loan at the start of the season after falling down the pecking order under Arne Slot. But what might have been an opportunity to prove himself to the Dutchman has turned into something of a nightmare in the Midlands, even though he’s still giving it his all in training.
The 22-year-old has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Villa, with only three of those being starts. Only four of those appearances have been in the Premier League, where he has featured for just 13 minutes since September.
Elliott’s lack of game time is believed to be linked to a reported loan agreement which stipulates that Villa are obligated to buy the former Fulham man for £35million once he plays 10 matches for them. With seven appearances under his belt after a cameo against Brentford at the start of the month, it appeared unlikely he would feature again any time soon. However, it has now emerged that the agreement only applies to Premier League matches, the Echo understands, which means Elliott could, in theory, feature more in the top-flight this term.
READ MORE: Liverpool icon shows true colours in Raheem Sterling response – ‘I didn’t like him’READ MORE: Liverpool latest: Harvey Elliott dilemma turns ugly as Cristiano Ronaldo issue emerges
Nevertheless, Unai Emery has chosen to regularly overlook Elliott and the youngster appears to be at something of a crossroads – both now and in the summer. With his situation at Villa remaining unclear and a contract at Anfield that does not expire until 2027, here we take a look at some of the potential options open to Elliott and Liverpool this summer.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Liverpool return
Elliott’s heart has been with Liverpool since his move to the U23s squad in 2019. He made his Premier League debut in 2020 following a loan to Blackburn Rovers and has since starred 149 times for the Reds.
After signing a new contract in 2021, Elliott waxed lyrical about the club that became his home. He said: “The love ever since the first day has been enormous. I’ve received so many messages. I’m thankful for everything they have given to me.
“Their support to us boys is like having a 12th man on the pitch, to be honest, and we’ve missed them a lot. This year will be nice to have them back, nice to have them in the stadiums, and hopefully we can prove them right this year and go and do it again.
Could Elliott return to Liverpool?(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
“They are unbelievable, the fans are truly one of us; they keep us going and keep us positive. We just want to do everything for them, we want to win for them. [We’ll] give it 100 per cent.”
While Slot clearly didn’t fancy Elliott last summer, that doesn’t necessarily mean his Anfield career is over. His impressive attitude and willingness on loan at Villa says a lot about him, while the club already know all about the quality he possesses.
He has scored 15 goals and made 21 assists in red, winning two Premier League titles and various domestic cups. A character like Elliott may well fancy himself to make a return to the club in the summer and force his way into Slot’s starting XI.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo’s dedicated LFC Facebook page
Jurgen Klopp reunion
In the summer of 2025, ESPN reported that RB Leipzig were interested in signing Elliott permanently from Liverpool. At the time, the Reds weren’t keen to let the midfielder go permanently and were not under pressure to let the star go.
But with the 22-year-old struggling for minutes at Villa, Slot seemingly not keen on him and his contract up in 2027, Elliott may consider a move to Germany – and he has an ally there already. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp joined Red Bull as the head of global soccer after his Reds exit and could potentially make a deal happen.
After Klopp departed Anfield, Elliott told Amazon Prime just how much the former manager means to him and the club. He said: “I’m surprised there isn’t a statue of him yet. You know he’s built the team up, won so many things, and he has that legacy which I think will live forever, for many, many years, until I’m even dead it will go on.
Elliott could look to his former boss for help(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
“And he deserves it, what he’s done to this team, the way he’s built it up and made it like a family. The players, the fans, everyone in this building, or even around the world, everyone feels together, and that’s because of him.
“You know, the way he is as a person, and the way he handles everything that comes his way… He’s a legend in my eyes, and he will be a legend of this club forever. Now it’s like you look back on these times and in the moment you don’t really think about these things becasue as a player it’s always about the next game, you can’t get too overwhelmed with these situations. But looking back, as I say, he’s a legend.”
Premier League move
Elliott could wave goodbye to Liverpool(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
If Liverpool and Elliott decide that it’s best for both parties to move on permanently, then a switch to a Premier League rival could be on the cards. There would likely be no shortage of interest in a player who has shown what he is capable of in the top flight, while the time left on his contract plus a possible reduction in his transfer fee owing to his lack of playing time could also appeal.
Before he joined Aston Villa, West Ham were among those reported to have shown interest in Elliott. In more recent times, Leeds have also been linked with a move to the midfielder. Only time will tell what the future holds for the Liverpool star, who appears to have a big summer ahead.
The best LFC news, features, videos and podcasts
Nobody covers Liverpool Football Club in more detail than the ECHO. Our team of reporters follows the Reds home, away and abroad and we have seven days a week coverage of everything from the first team, to the women’s team and the Academy.
Here’s how you can get the best LFC news on every platform:
Download our premium LFC App for exclusive content and ad-free reading. Apple here and Android here.
Follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Our Blood Red brand is one of the top rated LFC podcasts. You can watch it on Youtube here or search Blood Red podcasts wherever you listen. We’re also on TikTok.
Join our WhatsApp community for breaking news directly to your phone as it happens and follow our WhatsApp channel for updates and the best pictures.
Subscribe to our newsletters here for all the news directly to your inbox.
Subscribe to Dave Powell’s Bottom Line newsletter for exclusive business of football news, features and interviews directly to your inbox.
Follow us on every platform here.