Harvey Elliott’s Liverpool future is uncertain after he was loaned out last season to Aston Villa
Remaining at Liverpool for next season could be Harvey Elliott’s dream outcome this summer, with Andoni Iraola looking to give him a chance to reignite his Anfield career. The 23-year-old was a regular under Jurgen Klopp for the final few years of the German’s reign.
After Arne Slot took charge in the summer of 2024, Elliott found his opportunities limited. The former Fulham star has never made any secret about his love for the Reds, having supported them since he was a child, but that didn’t prevent him from being loaned to Aston Villa in September 2025.
However, after agreeing a £35million obligation to buy the England under-21 international, subject to him playing 10 Premier League games for Villa, he played just nine times for the Midlands outfit. Villa reportedly wanted Elliott to return to Anfield in January, but the clubs couldn’t reach an agreement, leaving him in no-man’s land.
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While he’s set to head back to Anfield this summer, his future seems undecided as it stands. Yet returning to Liverpool and forcing his way back into the side seems like his preferred option based on his past comments.
Upon leaving Liverpool, Elliott posted a heartfelt goodbye, demonstrating how much the club means to him. He wrote: “When I joined Liverpool in 2019 it was a dream come true for me and my family. As a young child I travelled the world supporting the team as a fan and words will never be able to explain the feeling I had when I pulled on that famous red shirt for the first time as a player.”
Iraola, who succeeded Slot after he was sacked at the end of the season, claimed all players at the club will have a chance to impress him and earn a place in his squad.
“We’ve analysed Liverpool a lot – possible weaknesses, the strengths,” Iraola said. “I think we have a very good squad. I think there is still work to do, like normally in every club in this moment of the season. But right now, for me the thing is to value especially the players that we have right now in the squad.
“For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings. For me, you are all new signings and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.”
Elliott, who specialises on the right side of midfield, could find his opportunities boosted by the departure of club legend Mo Salah, if he can win over Iraola. He would no doubt prove valuable to the Basque head coach, considering his 15 goals across 149 appearances so far for Liverpool.
It would clearly mean a lot to him. Speaking to the club’s official website in 2022, Elliott said: “There’s no better place to be [than Liverpool]. It feels like my second home, to say the least, and every time I come here, it’s always a buzz, whether it was a fan, or as a player now. It gets better and better every time you see it.”
Before he joined the Reds, the midfielder revealed that Real Madrid were interested in securing his signature. “I was close to going to Madrid, and I think Liverpool came in,” he said on the We Are Liverpool podcast in April 2023.
“As soon as I heard they had come for me, that was it, my heart was set on it. Just because, mainly, being a Liverpool fan, like all the family.”
Considering Liverpool have lost a number of high-profile stars in recent history to Los Blancos, Elliott’s rebuttal to the Spanish giants only amplifies just how much he admires the club. While it’s still very much conjecture, the ideal move for Elliott and Liverpool this summer could be the young star’s return to Anfield.
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