Harvey Elliott: Does Liverpool Midfielder Have an Anfield Future After Latest Omission?
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Does Elliott Have a Liverpool Future After Latest Omission?
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Harvey Elliott signed for Liverpool from Fulham in 2019
By Aadam Patel, Football Reporter
Published 1 hour ago
It was nearly a month ago when, in the bowels of the Yankee Stadium in New York, Harvey Elliott spoke candidly about his emotions after a "tough" loan spell at Aston Villa and why this summer felt like a second chance for Liverpool. There was a smile on his face when he spoke about his love for the club - the team he has supported since boyhood - and wanting to be free and enjoying himself again with his football, because he felt like he had not done that enough.
You only had to see Elliott's joy when he came off the bench in Liverpool's friendly against Monaco earlier this month as all four sides of Anfield stood up and applauded to see what it meant. With several senior first-team players absent, Elliott started Liverpool's first friendly under Andoni Iraola in Nashville and again when Liverpool took on Wrexham in New York four days later. But as the World Cup contingent returned, the midfielder was benched, and where he stands in the squad became clearer.
On the first weekend of the Premier League season, Elliott was left out of the Liverpool squad entirely for their trip to Newcastle, and it now looks increasingly likely that the 23-year-old could be on his way out before the transfer window ends. Liverpool have received no offers for Elliott - who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa - and his exclusion from the squad on Sunday was not transfer related, nor is he carrying an injury. Elliott's contract expires next summer, and if first-team football is not possible at Liverpool, he needs to go somewhere where it is, to avoid another lost season.
In America, Elliott spoke about how we would speak to Iraola "at the right time" and emphasised the need to be "selfish". "Ultimately, I'm still wanting to be selfish, doing what's right for me," said Elliott. "Whether that's staying here and fighting for my place or potentially going elsewhere, I'm still unsure at the moment until I get some more intel."
Another year on the fringes would be no good for the man who was named player of the tournament when England Under-21s won the European Championship in 2025.
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Harvey Elliott has made 149 appearances for Liverpool but only 71 as a starter
By now, much has been said about his situation at Villa last season, which Unai Emery described as "embarrassing" for all involved. Elliott played only nine games and a total of 277 minutes after Villa decided early on in the campaign that they did not want to trigger an obligation to sign him from Liverpool for £35m if he made 10 appearances. Those at Villa stressed Elliott's professionalism and his positivity throughout, and to his credit, the attacking midfielder returned early to Liverpool for the start of pre-season after a personally-challenging year. Iraola himself was impressed by his attitude, say sources.