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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has confirmed that the club will not be exercising their option to sign Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott on a permanent basis.
The 22-year-old midfielder, who arrived at Villa Park on deadline day has struggled for minutes and now faces an uncertain future as he prepares to return to Merseyside.
Speaking ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League clash against FC Basel, Emery was candid about the situation, effectively ruling out a long-term stay for the former Fulham prodigy.
The loan deal reportedly included an obligation to buy set at £35 million, contingent on Elliott making 10 appearances for the club.
With only five appearances to his name and having not featured since October, that threshold is unlikely to be met.
Emery said: “We are speaking with him. Hopefully we can get a solution for him to try to play consistently, to continue in his career with us or not.
“He is on loan here, but not definitely adding to us with a permanent contract.”
Elliott’s time in the Midlands has been frustrated by tactical misalignments and stiff competition, with the midfielder failing to displace Villa’s established players.
His last outing came over two months ago, and he has frequently been left out of matchday squads entirely.
Harvey Elliott is expected to return to Liverpool next month. The midfielder was allowed to leave Anfield in the summer having fallen down the pecking order under Arne Slot.
If Slot remains in charge, it is highly probable that Elliott will be shipped off again, likely on a loan or permanent transfer to a club lower down the Premier League or abroad.
However, given Liverpool’s current situation and the mounting pressure on Slot; should there be a managerial change at Liverpool, Elliott, who has been dubbed as ‘world-class‘ by Glen Johnson, could yet be handed a lifeline to prove his worth at his boyhood club.
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