Elliott sets personal deadline to decide Liverpool future under new boss Iraola

Harvey Elliott is giving new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola a chance to prove he has a place for him at Anfield, but the 23-year-old has set a personal deadline — tied to the start of the new season — before deciding whether to push for a summer exit.

The winger’s future at the club has been uncertain since a season-long loan at Aston Villa last term failed to result in a permanent move. Elliott made only nine appearances for Unai Emery’s side, with just four of those coming between January and May, after Villa opted against triggering the obligatory purchase clause that would have activated after ten outings.

According to The Athletic, Elliott intends to hold off on any transfer decision until pre-season is considerably further along, giving Iraola a meaningful look at what he can offer. The timing works in Elliott’s favour: with several squad members occupied at the 2026 World Cup, he has a rare opportunity to train closely with his new head coach and stake a claim for regular first-team football.

Iraola, who arrived from Bournemouth this summer, has been clear about his approach to the inherited squad. “For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings,” the Spaniard said earlier this summer. “I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.”

Elliott’s situation is shaped partly by Liverpool’s busy summer in the transfer market, which has added further competition for places in the attacking midfield areas. Despite that, he ended last season on a relative high — registering a joint career-best five Premier League goals under Arne Slot as Liverpool lifted the title.

With less than two weeks before the squad regroups for pre-season, Iraola may yet conclude that Elliott fits more centrally into his plans than previous managers allowed. Whether that assessment comes in time to keep the player at the club remains the key question heading into the final weeks of the transfer window.