For many Liverpool players, this has been a season to forget. A staggering, uncharacteristic number of defeats in the Premier League and a complete failure to reach the semi-final stage of any cup competition have left the club bruised.
As the squad licks its wounds over the next few months, the hierarchy faces a defining summer. Liverpool desperately require a squad that can excel on all fronts to return to winning ways whether that rescue mission is overseen by Arne Slot or a brand-new boss.
Yet, amid the wreckage of the current campaign, there is one forgotten man on Merseyside who could play a fascinating role ahead of the new pre-season.
Harvey Elliott moved to Aston Villa on a season-long loan last summer, and it is fair to say he has not exactly thrived in the Midlands. While other departing Reds like Luis Díaz and Tyler Morton excelled at their new clubs to become vital figures, the same cannot be said for the 23-year-old Englishman.
What makes the situation particularly tragic is that Elliott’s stagnation had absolutely nothing to do with his footballing ability. Instead, he became the victim of a poorly negotiated financial loophole.
The £35m Clause That Ruined a Season
In the initial loan agreement struck between Liverpool and Aston Villa, a hidden transaction trigger was inserted: a mandatory £35 million permanent purchase clause would activate if Elliott featured in a specific number of matches.
Once Unai Emery’s team caught wind of the exact math behind the obligation, the financial reality took over. Villa simply refused to trigger the fee.
Consequently, Elliott was completely frozen out. He has logged just a handful of Premier League appearances all season, three of which came in the immediate weeks after he arrived. His only other top-flight outing since August came in February during a 1-0 defeat to Brentford.
The situation grew so absurd that Unai Emery publicly apologized to the midfielder, labeling the entire ordeal “embarrassing for everyone involved.” But despite the immense professional challenges he has faced on the sidelines, Elliott is heading back to Anfield with an unbelievable record that no other Liverpool player can touch
The unlikely champion of Istanbul
Earlier this week, Emery’s troops travelled to Istanbul to face Bundesliga outfit SC Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League final at Beşiktaş Park. Emery, who has completely dominated this competition for over a decade famously breaking Liverpool hearts in the 2016 final with Sevilla showcased his tactical genius once again. Villa cruised to a 3-0 victory, and captain John McGinn hoisted the trophy high into the Turkish night to secure the club’s first major piece of silverware in 30 years.
Elliott, despite his domestic exile, had featured in the exact same number of Europa League games as Premier League matches. Crucially, this included playing the full 90 minutes in a thrilling 3-2 group-stage victory over Red Bull Salzburg.
Because he met the appearance threshold, Elliott officially qualified for a winners’ medal. Rather than shying away from the irony of his peripheral role in the triumph, the midfielder took to social media to jokingly celebrate his unique success.
Emery had the graciousness to include the Reds’ No. 19 on the bench as Villa beat Freiburg 3-0, though, ensuring that he will have a Europa League medal to show for a lost year. And as he prepares for an unexpected Liverpool return, Elliott showed his class with a message for Aston Villa fans on social media.
Elliott is now the only active player in the entire Liverpool squad who has won a major trophy in every single season since the 2021/22 campaign.
Over that timeframe, his cabinet has grown to include a Premier League title, two League Cups, an FA Cup, the Community Shield, and now a European crown. He walks away from Birmingham barely having kicked a ball, yet clutching another medal.
Will the deadline day door open or close?
The burning question now is whether Elliott actually has a future on Merseyside once the transfer deadline day rolls around in September.
Under Jürgen Klopp, the Anfield faithful firmly believed that the former Fulham prodigy would evolve into the creative superstar he was always envisioned to be when he signed in 2019. Under Arne Slot, however, the landscape shifted dramatically.
During the Dutchman’s debut season, Elliott was restricted to a meager 360 minutes of Premier League football. Following a subsequent 12-month loan that completely hampered his developmental momentum, the player will be vehemently against spending another year on the bench.
If the Liverpool board decides to relieve Slot of his duties during the upcoming end-of-season review, it opens an entirely new can of worms for Elliott.
A replacement manager might value his profile, but Elliott will demand concrete assurances. He cannot afford to be left on the periphery again, operating as a mere luxury backup for the majority of the year.
Plenty is riding on the next few months for the young midfielder, but one thing is certain: he won’t be returning to Villa Park.
Will his return to Anfield be greeted with a genuine tactical opportunity, or will he find his bags left squarely by the exit door?
Ultimately, Liverpool shouldn’t cast him aside just yet. He has an undeniable elite mentality, and as his bizarre trophy streak proves, good luck and silverware tend to follow him wherever he goes. He deserves a fair shot in pre-season before any rash permanent sale is sanctioned.
