Aston Villa might get some money back from Liverpool regarding Harvey Elliott’s loan. This could happen if the Midlands club decide to end the agreement early during the January transfer window. Keith Wyness suggested this possibility while speaking to Football Insider. Wyness used to be the chief executive at Villa Park and now runs a consultancy for top football clubs.
Aston Villa could secure a refund from Liverpool for Elliott’s loan
The discussion centres on Elliott’s current temporary move. The deal includes a specific clause requiring Villa to buy the player permanently after he has played ten games. However, it looks like Unai Emery’s side won’t hit that mark. This puts Elliott’s long-term future in a tough spot.
So, Wyness told the Inside Track podcast that ending the season-long loan early would likely mean a refund. It could also lead to a change in the wage payments Villa already agreed to pay. The former Everton CEO admitted he hasn’t seen the exact contract details himself. Even so, he thinks Villa will likely get back the wages meant for the rest of the season.
The clubs had originally planned for the loan to last all year. Ending the deal now means Liverpool would take back full financial responsibility for the midfielder right away. Wyness explained that Villa basically paid for a service they don’t want to use anymore. This means Liverpool have to settle the bill.
“Well, I haven’t seen the contract obviously, for Harvey Elliott, or the loan contract, and it seems very clear that Villa are not going to activate the 10 games to actually make his move permanent.
“So there would have been a share of his wages that Villa were paying, and so, if that was contracted till the end of the season, and I believe it was supposed to be a season-long loan.
“Then they would probably be due half a season of the share of his wages that they were going to pay. I don’t think that’ll be that significant for them to be able to do that.”
Analysis: Villa must prioritise squad balance over small savings
Getting this money back offers a small boost. However, Wyness pointed out that the amount won’t matter much compared to Aston Villa’s massive overall budget. The club need to put footballing decisions and team chemistry ahead of small financial gains. This is vital as they head into the busy second half of the season.
Sending Elliott back to Anfield makes the most sense if the manager doesn’t see a tactical reason to play him. Keeping a player on the bench just to avoid buying him creates bad vibes in the dressing room. Villa should start talking to Liverpool now to make this exit happen. This allows the recruitment team to spend those wages on a new player who actually fits Emery’s plans.
On top of that, letting a loan drag on when it isn’t working for anyone just messes up the team’s rhythm. Solving this quickly in January is better for everyone. Liverpool get their player back so they can send him somewhere else to get minutes. Meanwhile, Villa open up a spot for someone who can actually help the team.
Aston Villa need to move fast to stay in the hunt for European football. They shouldn’t stress too much about a small wage dispute that won’t really change their finances. The main goal has to be making the team stronger on the pitch, rather than dealing with the paperwork of a loan that didn’t work out.
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