Max Wilkins

Tue 26 May 2026 7:00, UK

Aston Villa and Liverpool have both let Harvey Elliott down this season.

The attacking midfielder came in at Bodymoor Heath after a stellar campaign with England at the under-21 European Championships.

Things didn’t follow suit in claret and blue as his loan agreement left him in limbo on the wrong side of a £35million obligation to buy.

That, on top of the surprise re-emergence of Emi Buendia, has all chipped in to a massively frustrating season for the 23-year-old.

Elliott’s spell at Aston Villa is now at an end, so let’s assess what could happen when he returns to Anfield this summer.

What is Harvey Elliott’s Liverpool contract situation?

It had looked likely that it would be a coming-of-age campaign for the Englishman after many years as a bit-part player on Merseyside.

He had his ups and downs under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, but always represented a regular squad member for the Reds.

Even with a relatively stable role at Anfield, he made the decision to make a temporary move in the summer that hasn’t worked out for anyone.

That leaves him open to an L4 return, which has since been confirmed at Liverpool, but they didn’t really have any other choice.

His contract doesn’t expire with Liverpool until the summer of 2027, and on a reported yearly salary of around £2m, he isn’t going to wave that away.

Elliott has kept tabs on Anfield while with Villa and will return in the coming weeks, but could be on his way out once again.

Where could Elliott go after Aston Villa failure?

With just nine appearances under his belt for the whole campaign, it is going to be a risk for anyone to chance him next season.

A deal will likely have to be done early in the summer to help him come up to speed throughout the whole of pre-season.

It feels as if he is going to be setting his stall further down the Premier League, if he remains in England, with a move to Leeds United seemingly something that would make sense.

He could also potentially find a home with a newly promoted side like Coventry City after they won the Championship under Frank Lampard.

There will likely be other options abroad with his quality with Liverpool, and on the youth international stage, which will likely reflect well on the continent.

Every Villa fan will hope Elliott can succeed elsewhere, although a Villa Park return feels very unlikely right now.