Harvey Elliott was left “in tears” after “agonising” Liverpool transfer decision
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Harvey Elliott was in tears as he drove away from Liverpool on deadline day, but the midfielder could now return to Anfield following a disastrous loan at Aston Villa. The Harvey Elliott situation: A quick look • The emotional exit: The Mail‘s Lewis Steele claims Harvey Elliott was “in tears” as he drove away from Liverpool on deadline day, having “agonised” over leaving his boyhood club for Aston Villa. • The frozen clause: Unai Emery appears reluctant to trigger a £35m permanent transfer clause, leaving Elliott frozen out and stuck between a disastrous loan and a difficult return to Merseyside. • January dilemma: Due to FIFA rules, Elliott can only play for Liverpool or Villa this season.
While a return to Arne Slot‘s squad is possible, it would represent a backwards step following the summer arrival of Florian Wirtz. • European interest: Before joining Villa, Elliott was considered by Brighton, Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, and Dortmund, with Liverpool previously demanding a fee in excess of £50m for the 22-year-old. “When he was driving to Villa he was in tears about the fact that it didn’t quite work out for him at Liverpool.” A FIFA rule against playing for more than two clubs in any one season means Elliott cannot return to Liverpool in January before heading out again either on loan or permanently.
Why Liverpool may not want Harvey Elliott to return Furthermore, as Steele detailed, there would be financial reasons for Liverpool holding firm on keeping Elliott at Villa. “You think about the other clubs that are interested – for the summer it would have to be – his value has [plummeted].” READ: The Aston Villa ‘mystery’: Why Harvey Elliott’s Anfield return is now a ‘strong possibility’ Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and Dortmund were all credited with an interest in the summer, along with a number of clubs in Spain.