Harvey Elliott has returned to Liverpool after his loan spell at Aston Villa failed to trigger a permanent move. The 23-year-old midfielder joined Villa in September 2025 with a £35million obligation to buy if he played 10 Premier League games, but he managed only nine appearances for the Midlands club.
Elliott was seen at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre on Tuesday alongside other recovering players such as Stefan Bajcetic, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo. New head coach Andoni Iraola was present to observe the group ahead of pre-season starting next week.
Iraola, who recently took charge at Anfield, has indicated that all players will have a fresh start. In his first interview as Liverpool boss, he said: 'For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings. For me, you are all new signings and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad.'
Elliott was a regular under former manager Jurgen Klopp, making 53 and 46 appearances in his final two seasons, but found opportunities limited under Arne Slot, featuring only 28 times last campaign. Despite winning the Premier League under Slot, the England international was loaned out in search of more game time.
The midfielder has expressed strong affection for the club. Upon leaving for Villa, he wrote a heartfelt goodbye, describing Liverpool as 'a dream come true' and 'my second home'. With Mohamed Salah's departure next season, Elliott could provide attacking cover from the right and central midfield.
