Harvey Elliott believes he has been given a second chance at Liverpool after his ill-fated loan to Aston Villa, which he insists was not a lost year. The 23-year-old midfielder joined Villa on a season-long loan last September with an obligation to buy for £35 million once he made 10 appearances, but he featured only nine times, playing 277 minutes in total. Unai Emery and Villa were unconvinced about completing the deal, leaving Elliott unable to sign for a third club in a single season after a brief substitute appearance for Liverpool in August.
Elliott's Return to Liverpool
Elliott has played in both of Liverpool's pre-season wins under new head coach Andoni Iraola in the United States. While non-committal about his long-term future, with Leeds United linked, Elliott spoke positively about his time at Villa, the first time he has discussed last season's issues. He claimed he could still feature in Iraola's plans.
"Everyone knows how much I love the club, so the feeling never goes of putting the shirt back on, representing the club, and fulfilling your childhood dream," said Elliott, a lifelong Liverpool fan. "But truthfully, yes, I felt it would never happen again because I wanted a new challenge. I wanted to explore something, come out of my comfort zone, and I thought that would take me on as a player. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but the way I see it is it's kind of a second chance, especially with the gaffer and new coaching staff coming in."
No Regrets Over Villa Loan
Elliott insists he harbors no hard feelings toward Villa. He was named player of the tournament at the European Under-21s Championship in the summer of 2025 and was touted for a World Cup squad spot before his career stalled in the Midlands. However, he said: "I wouldn't say it was a lost year because, at the end of it, I won the Europa League. 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 when you achieved something like that, because that's selfish."
Elliott acknowledged that Emery discussed his reasoning several times, allowing him to handle the frustration of being sidelined. "He explained very, very clearly 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," Elliott said. "But I knew 100% what the case 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."
Joe Gomez Injury Adds to Defensive Concerns
Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is expected to miss the start of the new Premier League season with a muscle injury, Iraola confirmed. Gomez went down after only eight minutes of Liverpool's first pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville. The defender is facing a month on the sidelines, with Liverpool opening their league campaign at Newcastle on 23 August.
"Joe has a muscle injury," Iraola said on Thursday. "It was quite clear since he complained straight away, so he will be some weeks off. It's difficult to say how long – normally one month. If it goes very good, then a little bit less. If it goes bad then a bit more, but it's a muscle injury. It's not massive. I think it will be impossible to have him for the start of the season because we are not so far, but it shouldn't be a lot more."
With Virgil van Dijk starting pre-season training back on Merseyside, Giovanni Leoni recovering from an ACL injury, and new signing Jérémy Jacquet yet to feature after a shoulder problem, Iraola has fielded young and makeshift central defensive partnerships. Two 18-year-olds, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, and full-back Luke Chambers have occupied the positions in wins over Sunderland and Wrexham.
"You've seen in these games that we are pretty thin in the centre-back position," Iraola said. "The only centre-backs we have are Mor and Ifeanyi, who are 18, just arrived at the club, and are doing incredibly well. I'm happy that the team has shown composure and solidity at the back, and it speaks very well about them."
Jacquet and Wirtz Could Feature
Jacquet could make his first Liverpool appearance against Leeds in Chicago on Sunday, the final game of the US tour. Florian Wirtz may also feature, and Iraola confirmed where he wants to deploy the £116 million signing next season. "I see Flo probably more in that position behind the striker," Iraola said. "I know he has played on the left sometimes, but we're going to start with him as the No 10. He's quite complete as a player, and I'd like to add a few more things. In the first days of training, it's clear that he's in a good place mentally."
