Liverpool considering January return for Harvey Elliott after unhappy Aston Villa move

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Exclusive with Graeme Bailey.Harvey Elliott could return to Liverpool in January despite an agreement being reached for his permanent sale to Aston Villa, Rousing The Kop can exclusively reveal.Elliott joined Villa on transfer deadline day in September, but has since played only five times for the club.The 22-year-old is on an initial loan from Liverpool, with the move to be made permanent after a certain number of appearances is reached. Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis.

RTK understands Villa will pay the £35m fee for Elliott once he has played 10 times for them this season. However, that may not happen.RTK have been told that all parties – Liverpool, Villa and Elliott himself – are currently unhappy with how the move has panned out so far.As a result, there is understood to be a realistic possibility that Elliott could re-join Liverpool in January, but any such eventuality would need all three involved parties to agree to that course of action.Photo by Mike Morese/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesHarvey Elliott loan could be cut shortElliott had become somewhat disillusioned at Liverpool towards the end of last season, becoming frustrated by a lesser role under Arne Slot.However, game time has not been forthcoming at Villa, where Elliott has played only 97 Premier League minutes across four appearances.READ MORE: Pep Guardiola wowed by Conor Bradley as Liverpool right-back told he can ‘do everything’Unai Emery’s reluctance to use the England U21 star is understood to be linked to his loan agreement, with Villa not yet deciding whether to commit to his signing.Should they signal a readiness to renege on the agreement – and Elliott agrees to end things at Villa Park – a return to Liverpool would become a genuine possibility.From there, Slot could look to reintegrate Elliott back into the Liverpool squad, or look for a different arrangement for the rest of the season.Crucially, however, any return for Elliott would need the sign-off from Liverpool, Aston Villa and the player himself.Elliott open to Liverpool returnShould Elliott’s permanent move to Villa be triggered before the end of the season, a buyback clause for Liverpool will become active.The fee is understood to be significantly more than the £35m sale agreement struck in September, and was inserted with the assumption that Elliott would be a success at Villa Park.Things have so far not transpired that way, and the chance for Elliott to ‘start again’ at Liverpool could appeal to him.The former Fulham youngster is understood to be disappointed with his season so far, and if he is to remain sidelined by Unai Emery, he would entertain the possibility of a return to Anfield.A decision is yet to be made either way, but RTK have been told that as things stand, a move back to Merseyside for Elliott cannot be ruled out.