Harvey Elliott has been given a major hint over his future by new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola
Harvey Elliott had limited minutes at Liverpool under Arne Slot(Image: Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Liverpool’s appointment of Andoni Iraola could give Harvey Elliott a fresh start at Anfield. The 23-year-old was a regular fixture under Jurgen Klopp, featuring in the German’s squad for the final few years of his reign.
After Arne Slot took charge in the summer of 2024, Elliott began to find his opportunities limited. He made 28 appearances under the Dutchman, a significant step down from the 53 and 46 he made in the two previous campaigns under Klopp.
After winning the Premier League title under Slot, the England midfielder was loaned to Aston Villa in September 2025. However, after agreeing a £35million obligation to buy the England international, subject to him playing 10 Premier League games for Villa, he played just 9 times for the Midlands outfit and was left out of the squad for much of the season.
Once a burgeoning talent, threatening to make the right side of midfield his own for Liverpool, Elliott has essentially wasted a whole season of development at an age he should be starting week in, week out for a team.
It’ll sting even more knowing it was a World Cup year. He was awarded ‘Player of the Tournament’ for England at the U21 Euros, yet with Slot’s dismissal comes a new dawn.
Iraola is expected to run the rule over all his new players, with everyone having a clean slate to make a first impression. Speaking in his first interview as the club’s new head coach, the Basque gave players, like Elliott, hope that they can make an impression and fight their way back into contention at Liverpool.
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“We’ve analysed Liverpool a lot – possible weaknesses, the strengths,” Iraola said. “I think we have a very good squad. I think there is still work to do, like normally in every club in this moment of the season. But right now, for me the thing is to value especially the players that we have right now in the squad.
Elliott hardly featured for Villa(Image: Getty Images)
“For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings. For me, you are all new signings and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.
“I only had, I think, Milos [Kerkez] in the squad before – I know a couple. I’ve been talking to a couple before – but it will be lovely also to play again with Milos, try to improve him, try to help him in his development. Yeah, definitely looking forward to it.”
Those words will be music to Elliott’s ears, and mean the midfielder is likely to be treated the same as any of his team-mates upon his return to the club this summer. Reportedly, Villa wanted Elliott to return to Anfield in January, but the clubs couldn’t reach an agreement.
It’s been a humiliating and unnecessary saga for Elliott, a player who’s always been fully committed to Liverpool since he joined from Fulham in July 2019. Speaking in May, Slot claimed Elliott would be heading back to the Reds at the start of next season and expressed regret at how the situation had panned out.
Whether Elliott would have had a chance to reignite his career under Slot, we’ll never know – but it seems unlikely.
Arne Slot allowed Harvey Elliott to leave Liverpool to join Aston Villa, who now look unlikely to make his loan move permanent (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Likewise, Villa boss Unai Emery was also remorseful. “My apologies for Harvey Elliott are, every day, in my mind,” the Spaniard said.
With Liverpool looking to rebuild their midfield and attack, Elliott’s inclusion for the coming year seems a no-brainer. He brings experience, can deputise in central areas and offers a robust attacking threat from the right, something that will be sorely missing in the absence of Mohamed Salah next season.
Simply put, the Reds’ new boss offers a new dawn for Elliott. The 23-year-old has always demonstrated an eagerness to press high and an eye for the net, meaning that, if given the chance to flourish, Iraola and Elliott could be a match made in heaven at Anfield.
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