Slot shuts door on Harvey Elliott as Liverpool dilemma grows | OneFootball

A familiar Liverpool conversation has resurfaced at an inconvenient moment, even if the answer from Arne Slot was designed to close it down quickly.

Our head coach was asked directly about Harvey Elliott during his pre-Wolves press conference and showed little appetite to discuss the possibility of the midfielder returning to us in January.

“No, Harvey is an Aston Villa player,” the 47-year-old said. “He’s supposed to be going there for a season.”

“And any questions about him, the best thing to ask is Villa. They are doing really well, by the way.”

The response was measured, but it also offered no encouragement that Liverpool are considering revisiting a situation that now feels increasingly relevant.

Elliott recall logic grows for Liverpool

The timing of Slot’s stance is notable given our current attacking circumstances.

Alexander Isak has undergone surgery after fracturing his fibula while scoring against Tottenham, Mo Salah remains away at AFCON, Cody Gakpo is sidelined, and Jayden Danns is still not fully fit.

That context explains why discussion around short-term solutions has intensified, particularly after Fabrizio Romano reported that Divock Origi is available as a free agent following his AC Milan contract termination.

That update lands differently for us when viewed alongside the idea that Elliott is already registered as a Liverpool player and cannot represent another club this season.

The 22-year-old has featured only seven times for Villa, totalling 174 minutes, and has not been included in their last nine league matchday squads.

Because Unai Emery’s side are obliged to buy him permanently after ten appearances, the sudden absence suggests a stalemate rather than a footballing decision.

Slot stance echoes earlier Elliott tension

Picture via @AVFCOfficial on X

Slot’s comments also align with his earlier reluctance to engage publicly on Elliott’s situation.

Journalist Lewis Bower previously criticised the Dutchman’s handling of the topic after a similarly distant response, writing that the tone felt unnecessarily cold toward a player who has given so much to us.

That criticism has not softened following this latest press conference, particularly as Elliott remains unable to play meaningful football while Liverpool face genuine short-term needs.

For now, Slot appears content to keep the separation clear, even if the logic of a recall continues to make sense on paper.

Whether that stance holds as fixtures pile up may ultimately decide how this situation is remembered.

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