This season, it would be an understatement to say the Aston Villa attack has been underwhelming. After three Premier League matches, Villa has not scored a single goal, which is a staggering mark for a club with serious European ambitions for 2025-26.
In an effort to address the production quandary in Birmingham, Villa is taking a Deadline Day run at Harvey Elliott from Liverpool, hoping to add the 22-year old on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy.
According to Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, Elliott is slated to undergo his medical check today in lieu of the agreement reached between Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Over the summer, Liverpool loaded up with offensive talent from Florian Wirtz to Hugo Ekitike to now Alexander Isak, so there was not a lot of opportunity to fit Elliott into the lineup for the Reds in 2025-26. Elliott has logged just one minute in one Premier League match this season, which likely spelled the end of his tenure with the club.
However, Elliott was featured quite regularly in the three seasons before, offering five goals and 10 assists to his Premier League resume, and he’s at a pivotal age where a move into more minutes could jettison his career to the next level. Aston Villa is now known to be a club that can revitalize a struggling player’s career, and it looks as if manager Unai Emery is going to follow a similar blueprint with Elliott once he is officially announced for the claret and blue.
At the moment, it is believed that Elliott will have a £35 million fee as part of Villa's obligation to buy after the season. While this is no paltry sum, it will help Villa that the transfer fee is not required immediately.
What does Harvey Elliott provide for Villa?
Throughout his time at Liverpool, Elliott showed a creative flair and the ability to create a play out of slim margins. The England international is fond of showcasing his clever technique, and his detailed metrics show a player who is forward-thinking and likes to create in the attacking third.
Given Aston Villa’s current lack of goal production up top, Elliott could provide an injection of energy in an attacking midfield role. Elliott has shown that he can be a thrilling player on his day, and Emery could use his speed and ingenuity throughout Villa’s four-competition effort this season.