Elliott branded overweight and facing new manager after Valencia loan turns sour

Harvey Elliott’s second consecutive loan spell is in crisis after Valencia sacked manager Carlos Corberan just ten days into the 23-year-old’s arrival, with Spanish newspaper Marca reporting the Liverpool midfielder has been told he is well above his optimal playing weight and must improve his fitness during the international break.

Elliott joined Valencia on loan at the start of September, having endured a wasted season at Aston Villa, where Unai Emery restricted him to nine appearances to avoid triggering a £35 million obligation-to-buy clause. The midfielder had spoken openly about needing a fresh start, describing conversations with Corberan about his objectives and saying he wanted to “regain my self-confidence, play freely and enjoy my football.”

Those hopes were quickly complicated. Valencia lost five of their opening seven La Liga matches, dropped to 19th in the table, and dismissed Corberan before Elliott had settled. The club have since appointed former Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre as replacement — himself contracted only until the end of the season, meaning he will need to make swift judgements on his inherited squad.

Elliott’s contribution so far amounts to three substitute appearances totalling 88 minutes. Valencia are paying the majority of his wages, which reportedly make him the club’s third-highest earner, adding financial pressure to a situation already short on momentum.

On social media, Elliott has projected composure, posting a message to supporters before the international break — “We will continue to work and come back better” — and sharing training images shortly after. Whether that public confidence translates into minutes under Aguirre remains to be seen.

Despite the turbulence, Elliott’s long-term situation at Liverpool is not yet in doubt. He holds 149 appearances, 15 goals and 21 assists for the club and remains under contract at Anfield until June 2028. Emery, despite limiting his involvement at Villa, was publicly complimentary about the player’s character and ability. Elliott, who made his Liverpool debut at 16, is still only at the early stages of a career that has time to recover — but a second successive loan that fails to deliver regular football would represent a significant setback.