Harvey Elliott has made just five appearances for Aston Villa since joining on loan from Liverpool on transfer deadline day
07:00, 22 Nov 2025
Harvey Elliott has struggled for game time at Aston Villa after signing from Liverpool (Image: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Unai Emery insists there are multiple reasons behind Harvey Elliott’s limited playing time at Aston Villa beyond just Emi Buendia’s return to form. The Liverpool loanee has featured in just five matches for his new club following his deadline day arrival.
Should the 22-year-old make another five appearances, Villa will be required to pay Liverpool £35m to secure his services permanently under the terms of the deal.
Elliott was prevented from facing his parent club when Emery’s side lost 2-0 at Anfield earlier this month but he was also omitted from both matchday squads against Manchester City and Bournemouth.
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The Villa boss has previously stated he considers the England Under-21 international’s optimal position to be as a No. 10 but he highlighted the abundance of choices in that role as the explanation for his restricted minutes, reports Birmingham Live.
Buendia, who was anticipated to depart Villa in the summer, is among he players positioned ahead of Elliott in the hierarchy. The Argentine has delivered six goal contributions this season, finding the net against Fulham, Feyenoord, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth.
“He had an injury for 10 months, and after he was training with us, he needed time to get in everything – good, mentally, physically confident,” Emery remarked regarding Buendia’s form.
“He struggled last year and all the season, firstly with us for six months, not getting his performance and not playing consistently and not feeling really good.
“When he was on loan in Germany, with Bayer Leverkusen, he didn’t achieve his confidence. He didn’t achieve minutes. He didn’t achieve numbers to recover himself, like a player he is.
“This year is completely different. He started so focused. He started the season very demanding, getting fit, feeling confident, playing with his skills, showing in each match he played in pre-season.
“Everything that happened around him, he deserved it because he worked hard to recover his best form as a player like he had before he was here.
“When we decided to keep him here, and he decided to stay here as well, I was confident he could get the numbers he is achieving.”
When questioned whether Buendia’s displays had been the primary reason for Elliott’s limited playing time, Emery responded: “It is everything, because the adaptation is something that some players need more than others.
“But the team is going forward and being very demanding to achieve individual and collective performance, also the consistency we need.
“Some players, they need more time, or we can speak about how he struggled last year, Buendia, to achieve what he is doing this season.
“Harvey Elliott, he is working very well. He is working consistently. He is a good guy and his commitment to Aston Villa is fantastic.
“I am happy how he is doing his work here, but now it is difficult because he has other players playing and performing well, for example Emi Buendia and other players.”
Elliott has not played for Villa since October 2.
