Harvey Elliott opens up on Aston Villa setback and 'second chance' at Liverpool
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Harvey Elliott has spoken out about his Aston Villa ordeal, maintaining he harbors no resentment toward the club despite how things unfolded.
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The Liverpool midfielder is optimistic that Andoni Iraola's appointment could inject new energy into his Merseyside career, though he acknowledges his future remains up in the air.
Elliott joined Villa on September 1 last year when the Villans agreed to a £35 million ($47.1 million) obligation to buy if he made 10 appearances during his loan spell.
-Credit:Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesAfter Monchi's exit as sporting director just weeks later, however, it became clear Villa had no plans to activate the clause given their concerns surrounding the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR).
Elliott registered just 277 minutes across all competitions for Villa (110 in the Premier League), and his cameo for Liverpool in the dying moments of the August Bank Holiday victory at Newcastle United ended the possibility of a mid-season move in the January transfer window.
Villa tried to negotiate with Liverpool to remove the clause in the January transfer window, prompting head coach Unai Emery to describe the situation as "embarrassing" for everyone involved after Anfield officials declined.
Speaking to a small group of reporters that included the ECHO following Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Wrexham at New York's Yankee Stadium, Elliott says he's focused on moving past the year of limited action.
When asked whether he believed his Liverpool career had come to an end when he departed on transfer deadline day in 2025, Elliott said: "Truthfully, yes. Because I wanted a new challenge. I wanted to kind of go and explore something, come out of my comfort zone, that I thought personally that would take me on as a player again.
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"Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but the way I see it is, that's last season now I'm here. It's kind of a second chance, if you want to call it.
"Especially with the gaffer and new coaching staff coming in. It's another chance to impress, and hopefully get in their (good) books. But whatever happened last season, I wish Villa nothing but the very best, had a lot of love for them, and they treated me very, very well. Unfortunately, the situation happened, but It's another learning curve.
"It's a situation that I can take on in my career, and just keep looking forward. I'm here now, and I'm trying to cement my spot in the team or within the squad.
"Mentally, it was a very tough one. As I said, it was a learning curve. It was an opportunity for me to experience something new. as much as I didn't want to do it, and I don't wish it upon any other player, because it's not nice at all, but I have no hard feelings.
"I wish them all the very best. Well, I did greatly have a lot of love for them. They treated me as one of their own, as it were, and for that. I respect them highly.
-Credit:Nicolò Campo, LightRocket via Getty Images"But it was tough, mentally and physically, but I'm on the other side of it now. I was able to get through it, and achieve something at the end of the season as well (with Villa winning the Europa League).
"That was another historical moment for the club, and to be part of that was another great situation. But my focus is on this season, at Liverpool, and I just need to see what happens."
Elliott disclosed he was consistently informed about why his playing time under Emery had been so limited, explaining: "He explained very, very clear and a fair few times. The whole club were very apologetic about the situation, and ultimately, it was a situation that I couldn't control, as long as I just knew 100% what the case was, and what the situation was.
"It was like: 'OK, I can get over it. I know what the situation is now'. It was just about me handling it and showing my professionalism, and hopefully I'd done that within the club.
"I'm not that kind of guy who wanted to kick up the fuss, and cause problems, because no one really deserves that. It's just all part of football, and for me, as I said, it's a learning curve and an opportunity that I hope I don't experience again, but it's a situation where I know I've been able to get through it. I can do it again.
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"I wouldn't say it's a lost year, because at the end of it, I won the Europa League and to have that on my CV is incredible, especially with Villa. I saw with my own eyes how much it meant for them, and I wouldn't say it's a lost year myself when you achieved something like that, because that's selfish.
"It's a situation, as I said before, I couldn't handle it, I couldn't control what was going on. It was just a case of accepting it, and just trying to get my head clear and get myself in the best position to come back here, and, I tried as hard as I could.
"I still feel like I can get better and I'm working as hard as I can to do that. I haven't shown my 100% yet and I think that would take a little bit of time, because of the fact that I didn't play much last season, but I'm sure I'll get there very quick, and I'm sure I'll start feeling myself again."
Addressing his chances of reclaiming a regular spot in the plans at Anfield after only a handful of starts under Arne Slot in 2024/25, Elliott went on to say: "I think I need to be more kind of cautious of my decisions.
"Ultimately, I'm still wanting to be selfish, within that aspect of doing what's right for me, and whether I'm staying here and fighting for my place, or whether that's potentially going elsewhere, I'm still unsure at this moment in time until I get some more intel.
-Credit:Bill Barrett/ISI Photos, ISI Photos via Getty Images"But I'm really happy to be back, since the first day I walked through the door at Axa, I had a big beaming smile on my face, and, as I've said before, about putting the shirt on, I don't want to take these moments for granted, because, last season, I thought it was the last opportunity I'd done it, and I'm back here now.
"I'm wearing this strip again and putting this shirt on, and I just want to be free, and just play as much as I can, and just enjoy, because sometimes I don't feel like I do it enough. Playing at Liverpool, there's no better feeling."
Elliott has featured from the start in both preseason fixtures under Iraola on the US tour, and reveals he is thriving under the former Bournemouth manager's guidance.
"He's been incredible," Elliott said of Iraola. "Him and his coaches and his staff have been great. They've been very in detail of what they want to do and what they expect of us as players.
"Obviously, it's still kind of early days. But I think once the majority of the group join back, and a few players joined a few days ago, I think when the squad's together, that's when everything will start coming together.
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"The way he's been with the senior players here, especially the younger lads as well, giving them opportunities like today and against Sunderland to go out and play and enjoy himself. It's incredible, and it's a lovely feeling at the moment.
"Right now, I'm just thinking about making sure I'm physically and mentally 100%, and trying to impress on the pitch. I think when it comes to the right time of asking him, that's when I'll go and ask.
"But, ultimately, it's just down to me, as long as I'm putting in the effort of hard work and the desire on the pitch, then I feel like I have the opportunities to go in and ask, but, as I said, at this moment in time, I'm not sure. I'm just making sure I play on the pitch and give my all."