Aston Villa to make decision on Harvey Elliott in January says Unai Emery | OneFootball

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says the club will reassess Harvey Elliott’s (22) long-term future when the January transfer window opens, admitting the midfielder’s lack of game time has prompted internal discussions, as reported by Sky Sports.

Elliott joined Villa on a season-long loan from Liverpool in the summer, with a £35m obligation to buy included in the deal. But the 22-year-old has struggled to establish himself at Villa Park, starting just once in the Premier League and missing four of the last five match-day squads across all competitions.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League meeting with BSC Young Boys, Emery insisted Elliott remains part of his plans for now, but made clear that decisions will be taken mid-season.

“We have a lot of matches and we must focus with the players we have now,” the Spaniard said. “We are not thinking about the transfer window in January. He is one of our players and hopefully he can help us, then we are going to decide.”

Emery praised Elliott’s attitude despite limited opportunities, adding: “We have a lot of players performing very well, but he is training very well.”

With Villa competing in multiple competitions and rotation likely to increase, Elliott could yet earn a chance to influence his own future, one that may hinge on what happens over the next six weeks.

GFN | Finn Entwistle