Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery expressed that Harvey Elliott‘s limited participation during his loan from Liverpool has been “embarrassing for all parties involved.”
The young midfielder has only made four appearances in the Premier League since joining Villa on a season-long loan from their league rivals.
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If Elliott reaches 10 Premier League appearances for Villa, he will become a permanent transfer, triggering a £35 million ($47 million) fee.
“We all have our responsibilities, both the club and Liverpool. It has been a difficult season for him as a person and a player.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed that Elliott will return to the club for the next season. “He is contracted to us and will be with us at the start of the season,” Slot stated.
Last season, Elliott made only two Premier League starts for Liverpool but excelled, earning the title of Player of the Tournament as he helped England capture the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the summer of 2025.
“It didn’t go as intended for him, for us, or for Villa,” Slot commented. “Typically, when you sign a player on loan, you aim to utilize them more.”
“Unfortunately, that has not been the case for Elliott. It’s always regrettable when a talented player struggles for playing time, particularly after the remarkable season he had with us, where he surely played more than 280 minutes.”
“He joined a very strong team with many great players. I can’t answer why he hasn’t played more minutes, but it’s unfortunate for a player of his caliber to have such limited playtime over two years, especially after showcasing his talents in the Euros.”
Report contributed by PA.