By Joel Lefevre

Harvey Elliott was loaned to Aston Villa in part because there didn’t appear to be room for him on the Reds, and to get him more top-flight experience somewhere else. Unfortunately, the latter has not materialized, with Unai Emery giving him only 97 minutes of Premier League action after 20 matchdays.

How Harvey Got Here

Credit: BBC

What to do about Harvey Elliott last summer was a point of contention and a complicated one at that. He’d shown an ability to be a spark off the bench during their Premier League title-winning season. He’s shown on the international stage but hasn’t gotten a real opportunity at the senior level. 

With the spending Liverpool did over the summer, adding Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitiké, and Alexander Isak to the fold, many believed there just simply wasn’t room for Elliott in Arne Slot’s setup.

With the winter transfer window in full swing and the Reds needing a spark from somewhere, bringing back the Fulham academy product doesn’t sound like such a bad idea anymore.

Underutilized by Villa

Credit: BBC

With Villa in the race for the title, it’s difficult to imagine Emery will suddenly put faith in Elliott to earn minutes unless the team gets hit with injuries. Liverpool can hardly be pleased that he’s not gaining much experience in the top-flight at another club. Elliott has already played for two clubs this season and therefore cannot go to another.

Because of this, the Reds should bring him back and give him an opportunity. They have nothing to lose by doing so.

Still Young, Still Promising

Credit: UEFA.com

At 22, Harvey Elliott’s best years are still ahead of him, and he’s shown in big moments that he can make an impact. He’s been a part of two UEFA European Championship victories for England and has been incredibly strong in both triumphs.

In their 2025 victory, he was particularly sharp, being named Player of the Tournament and leading England with five goals, including two match-winners in the knockout phase.

Along with that, he showed that he could step up in limited action for the Liverpool senior squad, scoring the Reds' only goal in the opening leg versus Paris Saint-Germain in their round of 16 Champions League tie last season winning that match 1-0. That was in the midst of the team getting thoroughly dominated as well.

Credit: Football365

With his reputation as a clutch performer, Elliott has plenty of skills that Liverpool could use right now. He has great passing vision, close control, balance, and pace. In addition to that, he can be a threat in the attack for Liverpool on set pieces, while he’s got a tireless work ethic.

Elliott can do a job both in midfield and on the wing. It might be easy for the management team to keep playing Wirtz and Salah when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations; however, Elliott is capable of helping them win and deserves a shout.

The Premier League race may be over, but there are still trophies the Reds can lift, and even though he’s done it primarily at lower levels, that still counts for something.

Verdict