Harvey Elliot departed Anfield for Aston Villa on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but he has seen limited minutes on the pitch since making the switch.
He has endured a slow start to life under Unai Emery at Aston Villa so far was an unused substitute for Aston Villa this weekend against Burnley, with Unai Emery reluctant to use the former Liverpool midfielder so far during his time in the Midlands.
“I am happy with how he is working. I know, and he knows, that he has to continue with his adaptation. He is on the right path,” Emery said.
Harvey Elliott became a useful player under Jurgen Klopp and made a combined 66 Premier League appearances during the German manager’s final two seasons at the club. However, he only played 18 times in the league under Arne Slot, resulting in a summer move to Aston Villa.
Despite a successful Euro 2025 campaign with England u21s, Elliott has struggled to impress Unai Emery since arriving at Villa Park. He started for Aston Villa in the League Cup against Brentford when he scored, but Emery’s men were knocked out on penalties.
Ex-Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer has not been impressed with the way Aston Villa are treating Elliott and he has even suggested that the playmaker would have been better off remaining at Liverpool.
McAteer told BEIN Sports: “He’s not getting the minutes. Well it’s what he’s left Liverpool for. He could do the same of what he’s doing at Villa, you can do the same with Liverpool, he’s probably going to get the same kind of minutes.
“So he’s got a decision to make, whether it’s an injury or not we’ll just have to wait and see, but I’m with you. I mean if you’re going to start him, at least if it’s not working, move him.
The host then asked whether it annoys parent clubs when a loan player does not get to play and proceeded to ask if Liverpool would consider taking Elliott back.
McAteer responded: “Obviously players can have a lack of form can’t they? Their argument might be listen, he’s in the right form at the minute.
“So Liverpool would probably look at that and go ‘okay we’ll give him’. But he’s up to speed, he’s not gone there in bad form, he’s a good player, the way he plays, he affects games.
“So it’s not that kind of scenario. If that was Liverpool and Harvey and he hasn’t been injured today, there might be a conversation to be had.”
Elliott scored in his first start of the season, during a Carabao Cup defeat to Brentford. However, he was substituted in the 67th minute and is clearly not seen by Emery as an important player.
Aston Villa have an obligation to make Elliott’s loan move permanent, but if his limited role at the club continues, he may look for a different destination to further his career.
