Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery, has recently expressed the club's uncertainty about signing forward Harvey Elliott on a permanent basis. Despite his promising performance in the past, the club remains unconvinced of his long-term potential.
Elliott arrived at Aston Villa from Liverpool in September on a season-long loan. The deal included an obligation to buy for £35m if he played 10 Premier League games for the Midlands club. However, two months into his tenure at Villa Park, Emery revealed that the club is not convinced about making this move permanent.
The young forward has only featured five times under Emery's management so far. His last appearance was as a late substitute against Feyenoord in the Europa League on 2 October.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa manager, said:
"The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him. We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him.
"This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions. This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football and sometimes we must take some decisions which are not good for everyone."
Interest from Major League Soccer
BBC Sport reports that Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC is interested in acquiring Elliott. The team is coached by former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith which might be an appealing factor for Elliot’s transition. However, it seems that moving to America does not appeal to the 22-year-old footballer.
Elliott had previously shown promise when he starred for England Under-21s as they won the European Championship last summer and made two Premier League starts when Liverpool won their title last season. Despite these achievements, he has started just once in league play for Villa and scored his only goal during a Carabao Cup tie against Brentford in September.
Due to regulations restricting players from representing more than two clubs within one season, should Aston villa decide not to retain him permanently after this loan spell ends; Elliot would be unable to play for another European club during this term having already represented both Liverpool and Aston villa during 2025-26 campaign. The future of Harvey Elliott at Aston Villa remains uncertain. Despite his potential and previous performances, the club is not yet convinced to sign him permanently. The coming months will be crucial for both parties as they decide on the best course of action for their respective futures.
