What Villa staff have said about Harvey Elliott amid lack of game-time on loan from Liverpool…

What Villa staff have expressed regarding Harvey Elliott amid his limited game-time while on loan from Liverpool.

Since departing Liverpool for Aston Villa on an initial loan at the conclusion of the summer transfer window, Harvey Elliott has not had as much playing time as he would have preferred.

According to The Athletic, the agreement includes a clause that will make the deal permanent once he plays 10 matches for Unai Emery’s team this season, with the transfer fee reported as £35m by sources in Merseyside and £30m by those in the Midlands.

However, nearly two months after the transfer, he has only appeared five times for the Villans and, during their Europa League loss to Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday, he was an unused substitute for the third consecutive match (Transfermarkt).

Despite the disappointing lack of playing time, Elliott has been leaving a favorable impression off the field at Villa.

Villa staff have expressed their admiration for Elliott.

In a piece for The Athletic, Jacob Tanswell highlighted how the 22-year-old has ‘impressed’ club personnel with his ‘attitude and application,’ which aligns with the meticulous professional standards upheld by Emery’s coaching staff.

The journalist also noted that after his debut for his new team against Everton last month, the England under-21 talent ‘went out of his way to shake hands and introduce himself to journalists.’

Speaking anonymously, a member of the Villa staff remarked about Elliott: “He is a good lad, with a good head on young shoulders.”

Elliott would rather have playing time than accolades off the field.

The 22-year-old openly acknowledged that his choice to leave Liverpool in pursuit of more consistent game-time was ‘selfish,’ but regrettably, he has struggled to secure a spot in Emery’s starting lineup, with only two appearances from the beginning so far at Villa Park.

Despite receiving positive feedback for his early performances in the Midlands and scoring on his debut (against Brentford in the Carabao Cup), he has only been allocated four minutes of playtime across the Villans’ four matches in October so far.

The manager publicly criticized Elliott after an ambitious pass during a 1-1 draw at Sunderland went astray, which felt like an unfair reprimand for a player attempting to create opportunities for a team that has struggled to find the net in the early weeks of the season.

Following Villa’s loss in the Netherlands last night and the quick turnaround to face Manchester City on Sunday, it’s possible that Emery will consider altering the lineup and starting the Liverpool loanee.

With our former no.19 unable to participate at Anfield next weekend due to his ongoing loan status, he will be eager for significant playing time against Pep Guardiola’s team to avoid being sidelined for another two weeks until his current team resumes Europa League play.

Elliott has had to exercise patience in recent weeks, but it is hoped that the positive impression he appears to be making behind the scenes will soon translate into ample playing time on the field.