Despite regularly showing his quality and being adored by fans at Anfield, Harvey Elliott has not been able to secure a spot in Arne Slot’s starting XI and has been granted permission to leave Liverpool. He has now found a promising new opportunity: his move to Aston Villa, is close to completion. The Villans are also finalising the signing of Jadon Sancho, following the confirmation of Victor Lindelof.
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From Liverpool Fan to Villa Signing
Introduced to Liverpool through his family, Elliott grew up supporting the club, even attending the Champions League final as a fan. The story becomes even more compelling knowing Liverpool signed him as a Fulham prodigy in 2019. Since then, he has come a long way. After a loan spell at Blackburn, it was clear he needed game time, and he got it, proving himself to be a fantastic player with enormous potential. Every goal or assist highlighted how much wearing Liverpool’s shirt meant to him.
However, despite his talent, Elliott never managed to secure a consistent place in the starting lineup, especially under Arne Slot.
Elliott Bids Farewell to Liverpool
During Liverpool’s title-winning season, Elliott played just 360 league minutes—a remarkably low total. Ahead of the new campaign, he was granted permission to leave. Interest came from several clubs, with speculation linking him to Nottingham Forest as a potential replacement for Gibbs-White, Crystal Palace, and even German sides such as RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. On the final day of the transfer window, it now appears he will move to Birmingham, becoming a major addition for Aston Villa, who have saved their big moves until the closing hours of the window.
Villa’s Long-Term Plan: Better Than Paquetá?
Alongside finalising the loan of Jadon Sancho from Chelsea, Elliott is set to follow. Aston Villa had previously negotiated for Lucas Paquetá from West Ham, but that deal was blocked by the Hammers. While Paquetá’s transfer would have cost around £50 million with limited resale potential, Harvey Elliott is expected to cost approximately £35 million and has the potential to become a key figure, similar to Morgan Rogers or Ollie Watkins, around whom Unai Emery will build his team. Unlike Paquetá, Elliott could one day bring in a significant profit for the club. For now, the deal is expected to be a loan with an option to buy at the previously mentioned fee.
This article was originally published on Fotbal Portal.
