Unai Emery revealed that Aston Villa has been in discussions with Liverpool for three months regarding Harvey Elliott’s loan conditions. The aim is to maximize the midfielder’s involvement as the season progresses, particularly as Villa competes on multiple fronts.
The young England U21 international joined Aston Villa on Deadline Day in September, with the loan agreement stipulating a mandatory purchase based on his match appearances. However, Elliott has faced limited playing time, not participating in matches from October 2 until Villa’s Europa League fixture against RB Salzburg last month.
Loan Agreement Details
Elliott has made a total of seven appearances for Villa this season. The terms of his loan specify that a permanent transfer will be triggered after ten appearances, with a requirement for five of those in the latter half of the season. Emery acknowledges that Villa’s limited usage of Elliott has negatively impacted his development.
Emery’s Insights on the Situation
- Emery stated that both sporting and business considerations are at play.
- He expressed a desire for Elliott to contribute more significantly to the team’s efforts.
- Villa’s coach emphasized that while he believes Elliott deserves more playing time, the final decision lies with Liverpool.
“I spoke with him. We have been fair because there are two ways,” Emery commented. He explained that his sporting decision is to utilize Elliott’s talents, but business factors from Liverpool also need addressing. The urgency of renegotiating these clauses remains a priority for Villa.
Recent Transfer Window Activity
As the winter transfer window closed on Monday, Villa secured the signing of Tammy Abraham from Besiktas and brought in Douglas Luiz on loan from Juventus, while Leon Bailey was recalled from his loan spell with Roma. While the window has closed, Villa can still negotiate with Liverpool regarding Elliott’s loan terms.
Despite the complexities involved, Emery remains hopeful that a satisfactory resolution can emerge, emphasizing Elliott’s potential and professional demeanor throughout the negotiations. He acknowledged that if Liverpool is unwilling to modify the loan clauses, the situation may not change for Elliott.
