Iraola's fresh-start pledge gives Harvey Elliott a route back into Liverpool's plans

Harvey Elliott returns to Liverpool this summer in an uncertain position, having fallen one Premier League appearance short of the nine needed to trigger Aston Villa’s £35 million obligation to sign him permanently — a quirk that leaves both his future and his value in an awkward place.

The 23-year-old midfielder joined Villa on loan in September 2025 following a difficult season under Arne Slot, who had largely phased him out after succeeding Jürgen Klopp. Elliott made nine appearances for the Midlands club, one short of the threshold that would have made the deal compulsory. Villa reportedly sought to bring him back to Anfield in January, but the clubs could not agree terms, leaving him to see out the campaign in limbo.

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, who replaced the sacked Slot at the end of the season, has offered a lifeline by declaring that every player in the squad will be treated as a new signing heading into pre-season.

“For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings,” Iraola said. “I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.”

For Elliott, those words carry particular weight. A boyhood Liverpool supporter who joined the club from Fulham’s academy in 2019, he has never hidden his emotional attachment to Anfield. In a farewell message posted when he departed on loan, he wrote: “When I joined Liverpool in 2019 it was a dream come true for me and my family. As a young child I travelled the world supporting the team as a fan and words will never be able to explain the feeling I had when I pulled on that famous red shirt for the first time as a player.”

The departure of Mohamed Salah — whose exit leaves a vacancy on Liverpool’s right flank — could work in Elliott’s favour. The midfielder has operated predominantly on the right side and has contributed 15 goals across 149 appearances for the club, a record that gives Iraola a meaningful body of evidence to assess.

Whether Elliott ultimately stays, is sold, or moves on loan again will likely depend on how he performs in pre-season under a head coach who has made clear he intends to judge everyone on what he sees with his own eyes.