Harvey Elliott’s contract clause could trigger a return to Liverpool following his latest omission from Aston Villa’s lineup.

Harvey Elliott’s Aston Villa spell could end prematurely due to a contract clause that might send him back to Liverpool following another omission from Unai Emery’s squad.

The 22-year-old joined Villa from Liverpool on deadline day, signing an initial season-long loan deal that includes an obligation to buy, activated only if he reaches a certain number of appearances. The clause stipulates that Villa must pay £35 million next summer should Elliott feature in at least ten matches across all competitions.

So far, he has made just five appearances since his arrival, with his last outing coming as a second-half substitute in the Europa League victory over Feyenoord on October 2. Since then, he has been left out of Villa’s last two games against Burnley and Tottenham and was again benched for the clash with Go Ahead Eagles.

Supporters now suspect Emery is deliberately limiting Elliott’s game time to avoid triggering the purchase clause. The situation follows reports that the Villa boss had initially preferred to sign Lucas Paquetá from West Ham before the club eventually turned to Elliott.

According to The Athletic, Villa were aware of Elliott’s availability months before the transfer but hesitated due to his valuation. They eventually secured him ahead of interest from RB Leipzig, West Ham, and Fulham, impressed by his performances for England’s Under-21s, where he played a key role in their European Championship triumph—scoring twice in both the semi-final against the Netherlands and the final against Germany.

Despite earning praise for his professionalism and work ethic since arriving, Elliott’s opportunities have been scarce, with only five appearances to date, leaving his future at Villa Park increasingly uncertain.