Liverpool hold emergency talks to readjust star’s transfer, as BBC reveal outcome | OneFootball

Liverpool have held emergency talks with Aston Villa to modify the terms of Harvey Elliott’s loan agreement, and the BBC have revealed the outcome of those discussions.

Elliott, 22, joined Villa on a season-long loan last summer that contains a conditional obligation to buy worth £35m. The conditions that trigger the clause are Elliott making 10 appearances in a Villa shirt.

He quickly racked up five outings for his loan side, though when the autumn came, his situation changed.

Unai Emery and Villa came to the conclusion they did NOT want to sign the playmaker outright. As such, they began to omit Elliott from their matchday squads entirely, to ensure he didn’t reach the 10 appearance target.

Elliott’s deal does not contain a recall clause, meaning Liverpool couldn’t simply bring the attacker back in January without negotiating a settlement with Villa.

What’s more, Elliott would not have been able to join another club in the UEFA confederation mid-season having already represented two teams this term.

According to a recent update from The Athletic, Elliott had secretly hoped Liverpool would bring him back last month.

Elliott’s situation then changed in recent weeks when injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans saw the player brought back in from the cold.

He’s featured in each of Villa’s last two matches, meaning he’s now just three games away from his loan being turned permanent.

Yet Villa and Emery still don’t wish to sign the player long term, and the prospect of opening dialogue with Liverpool to adjust the terms of the agreement was floated.

One of two possible outcomes were in play – the appearance target is raised much higher than 10, or the obligation is turned into an option.

If either of those scenarios transpired, Villa would be freed up to select Elliott far more, and one of Liverpool’s most saleable assets would put himself in the shop window ahead of further exit opportunities in the summer.

According to the latest from The BBC, Liverpool and Villa have held talks about changing Elliott’s deal. Unfortunately for all parties, the two clubs have failed to find common ground.

They stated: ‘In the light of his limited game time and Emery’s often brutal honesty about his lack of interest in signing him, Liverpool and Villa discussed altering the agreement in recent days.

‘However they failed to find a solution. And Emery has suggested he is not for turning.’

If no compromise can be found, the likelihood is Elliott may make appearance numbers eight and nine for Villa before being relegated to the reserves for the remainder of the season.

It’s a situation that does not help Villa, Liverpool or Elliott, though it’s the one they all find themselves in.

In other news, Real Madrid are seemingly back in the mix to snap up Ibrahima Konate via free agency despite informing Liverpool they wouldn’t pursue the player in late-2025.

Elsewhere, Liverpool have finalised the under-the-radar departure of a teenage winger, who departs Anfield after a five-year spell and has signed for Stoke after a successful trial.