Harvey Elliott’s Aston Villa future in doubt, Unai Emery confirms talks over future at club – The Athletic
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said that the club are speaking to Harvey Elliott about his status at the club, adding that the midfielder is not guaranteed to remain with the side beyond the end of the season.
Elliott, 22, joined Villa on loan from Liverpool on deadline day in September. The deal includes an obligation to make the transfer permanent next summer if he makes 10 appearances for them this season. Liverpool sources have indicated that the final transfer fee would be £35million ($46m); Villa sources say it’s closer to £30m.
However, the versatile midfielder has struggled for gametime at Villa Park since making the move from Anfield, making just five appearances and just two starts.
Speaking before Villa’s Europa League game against FC Basel on Thursday, Emery said: “We are speaking with him and about his situation. He is not here with us. Hopefully, we can get the best for him and the best for us.”
“I respect him as a player and as a person. He is training well, but we have one circumstance with him. Hopefully, we can get a solution for him to try to play consistently and try to continue in his career with us or not.
“I have spoken with him two or three times about the situation we have with him. Firstly, my decision and the situation.
“Firstly, my decision is a sport decision and secondly, he’s on loan playing with us. He’s not definite to move to us with a permanent contract.”
Elliott has already featured for Liverpool and Villa this season, meaning that he would be ineligible to feature for a new team this campaign and that reintegrating into the squad at Anfield would be his only chance to play again this season if he leaves Villa.
The Athletic reported in November that there was growing frustration with the situation on Elliott’s side, with the fear of spending the season largely out of the lineup ahead of a World Cup year his primary concern.
Elliot joined Liverpool in July 2019 as a 16-year-old from Fulham and has made 149 appearances for the side, scoring 15 goals and recording 20 assists.
