Future decided of Aston Villa star who was struggling to make his place in Emery's XI | OneFootball

Harvey Elliott now looks increasingly likely to see out the season at Aston Villa, despite uncertainty surrounding his long-term future at Villa Park, according to BBC. The attacking midfielder joined Villa on loan from Liverpool last summer, but his situation appeared to stall earlier in the campaign after manager Unai Emery decided against pursuing a permanent deal.

Emery had publicly indicated as far back as October that Villa did not intend to trigger their option to buy the 22-year-old, a decision that saw Elliott fall out of the matchday picture for an extended period.

While the England youth international continued training with the first-team squad, his lack of minutes suggested his Villa stay could be cut short.

However, circumstances have shifted dramatically in recent weeks.

Injuries change the equation for Aston Villa

A growing injury crisis has forced Villa to reassess their options. Midfield anchor Boubacar Kamara has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, while key figures John McGinn and Youri Tielemans are both facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.

With Villa competing across multiple competitions, Emery has been left short on depth and experience in attacking and midfield areas.

As a result, Elliott has been recalled into action, featuring in Villa’s last two matches after not playing since October 2.

Villa have a £35m clause to sign Elliott permanently

Harvey Elliott in action for Aston Villa (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Elliott’s appearances are also being closely monitored for contractual reasons.

The Liverpool loanee is just three games away from triggering a £35 million transfer clause tied to his loan agreement.

While Villa previously appeared reluctant to activate that option, the renewed involvement raises questions about how carefully his minutes will now be managed.

Liverpool, for their part, remain attentive to Elliott’s situation.

While Aston Villa may have decided months ago against making Elliott’s move permanent, the realities of injuries and fixture congestion have brought him back into the fold.