Footballer Harvey Elliott has expressed his readiness for a “second chance” at Liverpool, expressing a desire to regain the joy of playing after a “complicated” loan spell at Aston Villa.
Elliott joined Villa last summer on a season-long loan, with a contractual condition that saw him bought for £35m if he played in ten games.
However, Villa chose not to activate this clause at the start of the season, resulting in just nine appearances and 277 minutes on the field for the 23-year-old. This situation was classified by coach Unai Emery as “embarrassing for everyone”.
As a result, Elliott returned to Merseyside sooner than expected and has already participated in two pre-season matches for Liverpool, now under the command of new coach Andoni Iraola.
Commenting on his time at Villa, Elliott said: “I wanted to try something new, get out of my comfort zone and take on a challenge that, in my view, would demand me again as a player.”
“But, unfortunately, it didn’t work out,” added the athlete.
Elliott’s statements came after Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Wrexham in a pre-season friendly played in New York.
“Being here now, I see it as a second chance, if we can say so. Especially with the arrival of the new coaching staff and the new coach, it’s another opportunity to impress and, who knows, gain their trust,” declared the player.
“I wish Villa all the best. I had a lot of affection for them and I was treated very well. Unfortunately, the situation unfolded the way it did, but it’s another lesson learned”, pondered Elliott.
“Now I’m here and my goal is to consolidate my position in the team or in the squad,” he added.
Elliott cut his teeth at Fulham’s academy, making his Premier League debut aged 16, before joining Liverpool in 2019.
He performed consistently under then-manager Jurgen Klopp, but his attendance declined in subsequent seasons. Before his move to Villa, which brought new challenges, he had made 18 Premier League appearances.
“Mentally, it was very difficult, a period of great learning,” commented Elliott, who, ironically, contributed to Emery’s team winning the Europa League last season. “It was a chance for me to experience something different, even if I didn’t want to, and I wouldn’t wish that on any other player, because it’s not pleasant at all,” he added.
“But I don’t hold any grudges. I got over it. I managed to win and achieve something at the end of the season, another historic moment for the club, and being part of that was an incredible experience,” he said.
Looking ahead, Elliott, who was named Player of the Tournament when England Under-21s won Euro 2023 last summer, expresses uncertainty over his fate but plans to speak to Iraola later in the season.
“Right now my focus is on making sure I’m 100% physically and mentally, and trying to impress on the pitch,” he adds. “I believe that when the time is right to ask him [Iraola], then I will go and ask,” he explained.
“In the end, it all depends on me. As long as I dedicate myself and show desire on the field, I trust that I will have opportunities to enter the field and fight for a place,” said the player.
“But I’m very happy to be back. From the first day I arrived at training, I had a huge smile on my face,” he revealed.
“I’m wearing this kit again, putting on this shirt, and I just want to feel free, play as much as I can and just enjoy it, because sometimes I feel like I don’t do it enough. Playing for Liverpool is the best feeling there is,” concluded Elliott.
