Harvey Elliott has expressed his readiness for a “second chance” at Liverpool, aiming to enjoy his football again after a challenging loan period at Aston Villa. Elliott returned to Merseyside earlier this summer and has participated in both of Liverpool’s pre-season matches under new manager Andoni Iraola.
Elliott joined Villa last summer on a season-long loan, which included a clause for the club to sign him for £35m if he made 10 appearances. However, Villa decided against activating this option early in the season. Consequently, Elliott played only nine games, totalling 277 minutes, a situation Villa manager Unai Emery described as “embarrassing for everyone involved.”
Reflecting on the loan spell
Reflecting on his move to Villa, Elliott stated, “I wanted to go and explore something, come out of my comfort zone and do something I thought personally that would take me on as a player again. But unfortunately it didn’t work out.” He added, “Mentally, it was a very tough one, it was a learning curve.” Despite the difficulties, Elliott was part of the Villa squad that won the Europa League last season.
He described his current situation at Liverpool as “a second chance,” particularly with the arrival of Iraola and new coaching staff. Elliott hopes to impress them and secure a spot within the squad. He holds no ill will towards Villa, saying, “I wish Villa nothing but the very best. I had a lot of love for them and they treated me very well.”
Elliott, who developed in Fulham‘s academy and made his Premier League debut at 16 before joining Liverpool in 2019, played regularly under a former manager. He made 18 Premier League appearances in a season before his move to Villa.
Future prospects and team news
Elliott’s future at Liverpool will depend on his standing under Iraola. Pre-season games have offered him an opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities, and he featured in matches against Sunderland and Wrexham. He acknowledged that he hasn’t yet shown his full potential, attributing this to a lack of playing time last season.
He plans to discuss his future in more detail with Iraola when the time is right. Elliott emphasised his happiness to be back at Liverpool, stating, “I’m wearing this strip again and putting this shirt on, and I just want to be free, and play as much as I can, and just enjoy it.”
In other team news, Joe Gomez is set to miss the beginning of the Premier League season due to a muscle injury. Iraola confirmed that Gomez sustained the injury during a 4-2 victory over Sunderland. The manager indicated that Gomez is expected to be out for approximately one month, making his participation at the start of the season impossible.
Gomez remains with the squad in Chicago. With Giovanni Leoni still sidelined and Virgil van Dijk not on the pre-season tour, Liverpool has relied on younger centre-backs such as Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, both 18. Luke Chambers also played in the position. Jeremy Jacquet is scheduled to make his debut when Liverpool faces Leeds in Chicago on Sunday.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
