A compelling theory has surfaced that may shed light on why Harvey Elliott has barely featured for Aston Villa since completing his summer switch from Liverpool.
The 22-year-old lifelong Reds supporter had already accepted that breaking into Liverpool’s stacked midfield—featuring Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai, later strengthened by the £116 million addition of Florian Wirtz—would be nearly impossible.
Elliott left Anfield on good terms, having produced 15 goals and 20 assists across 149 appearances, won a second Premier League title, and cemented his place in Liverpool folklore. Yet his move to Villa Park appears to have brought familiar frustrations. Despite the team’s inconsistent form earlier in the campaign, the midfielder has accumulated only 167 minutes of action.
While many at Liverpool were surprised by his limited involvement, new details have emerged that may explain the situation. Elliott’s loan deal reportedly includes buy-back and sell-on clauses, confirming Liverpool’s ongoing investment in his future. More crucially, The Athletic revealed that Villa are obligated to make his £35 million transfer permanent only if he plays at least 10 matches during the 2025/26 season.
With financial regulations (PSR) weighing heavily on the Midlands club, that clause may be influencing Unai Emery’s selection choices. One Liverpool fan speculated on X:
> “I’m sure I read there’s a minimum number of games or minutes to trigger the loan-to-buy clause. That might be hurting him now — Villa could be holding back his playing time if they’re unsure about committing to the buy.”
Elliott, who was crowned Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Under-21 Euros, was courted by RB Leipzig and West Ham before Liverpool sanctioned his Villa move — viewed as ideal for his growth at the time. His technical quality, versatility, and ability to play as both an attacking midfielder and right-winger (a role he filled impressively when replacing Mohamed Salah in last season’s 1–0 win over PSG) made him one of Liverpool’s most promising young talents.
However, that same versatility has yet to yield results at Villa. With just two starts and three substitute appearances, Elliott has struggled to establish himself, though his numbers — 89% passing accuracy, 62.5% duel success, and 2.63 shots per game — show promise when he does play.
He even ended Villa’s early-season goal drought, scoring in the League Cup against Brentford after the side went four games without finding the net. Still, that bright moment did little to change his standing with Emery.
Having averaged only 34 minutes per game, Elliott has been fighting an uphill battle from the start. And with half the appearances needed to activate his permanent move already made, Villa may now be reluctant to use him further.
If his situation doesn’t improve, Elliott could return to Liverpool next summer — back where he started — leaving Arne Slot with another big decision to make over the future of one of Anfield’s most talented graduates.
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