Unai Emery calls on Liverpool to intervene over ‘damaging’ Harvey Elliott situation
Unai Emery has called for Liverpool to change the terms of Harvey Elliott’s loan agreement at Aston Villa, saying that the current situation is ‘damaging’ for the player.
The 22-year-old left Anfield for the Midlands on an initial loan basis at the end of last summer, with the transaction to become permanent once he makes 10 appearances for the Villans.
However, after an initial rush of five games, he didn’t play again for almost four months until a couple of recent outings, and the Spaniard had already admitted his reluctance to use the player as Villa don’t intend to sign him outright.
Emery calls for Liverpool intervention over Elliott
On Friday, Emery conceded that the current situation is unfair on Elliott and implored Liverpool chiefs to modify the terms of the agreement between the two clubs so that the attacking midfielder would have more scope to play for the rest of this season.
The Villa head coach said (via The Athletic): “We have been fair because there are two ways. One way is a sport, the second is business. We’ll be fair in case, because we are trying it. I spoke a few times with Harvey.
“Harvey, now I am opening the door to play with us because he can help us, but it’s not only on my side. The other side is Liverpool. If they are taking off the clauses, they have to play matches and to buy him compulsory. (I said to him), ‘You are going to play here with us; it’s a sport decision.’
“Now it’s a sport decision and a business decision. My sport decision is still there – ‘You are deserving to play, we need your qualities in the field, you are going to play’ – but in this case, the clauses are still there. Now it is Liverpool, they have the key, and I told him it will be fair for him for Liverpool to take off this clause.”
Emery added that the two clubs had spoken previously about amending the terms of Elliott’s loan agreement, but no breakthrough had been reached in that respect.
He said: “We were speaking about it but not now. We started speaking about it three months ago. The transfer window finished on Monday. It will be fair for him, because he’s a calm guy, a good guy, and he’s a fantastic professional, and his qualities are there.
“Of course, he must play, and he’s really being passionate. I know we are damaging him, because we got a deal with Liverpool in the summer and the deal is there, and we are taking the decision responsibly from my side.”
Elliott the biggest loser from sorry situation
Nobody is benefitting from the status quo, least of all Elliott, the single most important party in all of this.
Albeit prompted by injuries to several of his midfielders, Emery has shown a greater willingness to use the 22-year-old of late, but he’d been very quick to exile him in the autumn when the player had barely gotten his feet under the table at Villa Park.
Ending the loan prematurely was never a viable option, as the Midlands club would have to pay a termination fee (and are willing to do so), while Liverpool have no interest in recalling him (The Athletic).
Therefore, the only two ways to end the impasse are for Elliott to be used more regularly for Villa, or for the two clubs to renew discussions over changing the terms of the agreement and increasing or removing the threshold for a purchase obligation.
Whilst Emery has belatedly shown a desire to utilise him more frequently, it seems that the England under-21 star – who had no interest in a rumoured January move to MLS – will only get a couple more games for his loan outfit unless the goalposts are shifted in the boardroom.
We can only hope that those with the power to change the situation can find a way to do so, for the good of player who deserves much better than what he’s endured over the past few months.
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