Harvey Elliott’s career is embroiled in a peculiar situation as he continues to be frozen at Aston Villa. The English midfielder joined the Midlands club on a season-long loan.
A surprising transatlantic move could rescue Harvey Elliott from his Aston Villa agony. With his loan spell frozen and a return to Liverpool unlikely, Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC have emerged as a potential escape route for the stranded midfielder.
Out of favour at Aston Villa
Elliott’s move to Villa Park has utterly stalled. The loan deal included an obligation for Villa to buy for around £35 million if he made 10 appearances. After just five outings, manager Unai Emery has made a decisive choice, effectively freezing Harvey Elliott out to avoid triggering the clause.[smartframe_images_embed customer-id=”b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf” image-id=”WmOBGLrpIJky” style=”width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 5368px; aspect-ratio: 5368/3579;”]
“The problem we have with Harvey is this year he is on loan and in case he is playing matches, we must buy him,” Emery stated. “We decided two months ago we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we need. This is the issue.”
This leaves the 22-year-old in a bind. Liverpool do not have a recall option, and having already played for two European clubs this season, he cannot join a third. This rule, however, does not apply to MLS, whose calendar runs differently.
MLS, Elliott’s ‘The Great Escape’?
Enter Charlotte FC. Reports by the Daily Mail indicate the American club, managed by former Villa boss Dean Smith, have secured discovery rights for Elliott and are prepared to offer a loan until June. The connections are clear as Smith and Charlotte’s general manager, Zoran Krneta, have strong UK ties, facilitating the approach.[smartframe_images_embed customer-id=”04742eb90cefa12a5e3ab9bae92c2b93″ image-id=”neimGgL0k8tg” style=”width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 2669px; aspect-ratio: 2669/1779;”]
The club understands the player’s preference remains the Premier League. However, they hope the prospect of regular football ahead of this summer’s World Cup in the USA provides a compelling alternative. Fabrizio Romano confirms Charlotte are “prepared to offer” the temporary move, with the decision now resting with the player.
For any move to happen, Aston Villa and Liverpool must first agree to terminate the current loan, which involves a financial penalty. Villa are reportedly hoping to broker a new agreement to end the deal early.
Elliott’s situation is a stark contrast to last summer, when he was named Player of the Tournament as England’s Under-21s won the European Championship. A loan to Charlotte FC would at least offer a platform to rediscover his form, providing an unconventional but potentially vital solution to a career currently on pause.
