Slot makes big claim about Elliott after surprise Aston Villa move | OneFootball

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has insisted that Harvey Elliott remains an important figure for the club despite completing a season-long loan to Aston Villa on deadline day.

The midfielder, still only 22, was part of the squad that lifted the Premier League title last season and has already collected multiple honours at Anfield since arriving as a teenager.

Slot praises Elliott for mentality and quality

Picture via @AVFCOfficial on X

Speaking before this weekend’s trip to Burnley, the Dutchman explained why the decision was taken.

“[That’s] another positive thing, I think,” the boss told reporters. “Harvey is in a very good place, going to a very nice club with Aston Villa.

“I think it’s in the interest of everyone when he didn’t get the playing time he probably deserved for the quality player he is.”

Slot stressed that Elliott’s contribution to Liverpool’s success should not be underestimated.

“I know everyone always talks about Mo, Virgil and the others if we win the league.

“But players like him were definitely also the reason why we could win it, because he always was positive if he had to play five or 10 minutes, he helped the team.”

That mindset, according to the 46-year-old, is why the England under-21 international deserves to flourish during his time at Villa Park.

Liverpool continue to benefit from loan moves

Picture via @AVFCOfficial on X

Elliott is not the only Red to look to impress elsewhere. Slot pointed to Luis Diaz at Bayern Munich and Tyler Morton at Lyon as examples of how players leaving Anfield can thrive.

The midfielder’s move follows a busy summer that saw Liverpool land record signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, reshaping the squad for the title defence.

The fact that Elliott’s temporary exit includes buy-back and sell-on clauses shows how highly the club still value him and why they turned down laughable offers from RB Leipzig.

As Slot made clear, Elliott’s professionalism and talent give him every chance of returning to Liverpool ready to play a bigger role in the future, for a player who clearly loves the Reds.

You can view Slot’s comments on Elliott via Liverpool FC on YouTube:

Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile