Harvey Elliott Liverpool recall update on 'cancelling Aston Villa deal'

Liverpool face a crucial decision regarding Harvey Elliott's immediate future in the upcoming January transfer window. The England youth international, who joined Liverpool from Premier League rivals Fulham as a teenager, has made nearly 150 senior appearances for the club, netting 15 goals.

One of his notable strikes came against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 last season, providing Liverpool with a vital advantage going into the second leg at Anfield. However, that was one of just five goals Elliott scored throughout the campaign, as he found regular playing time hard to come by under head coach Arne Slot.

It wasn't surprising when the 22-year-old was linked with a move away from Anfield during the summer. On deadline day, he secured a season-long loan to Aston Villa, which could become a permanent £30million deal if he meets a certain number of appearances.

However, Elliott's hopes of making Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad have dwindled due to another challenging season. His chances are not only hampered by fierce competition for places in the Three Lions' squad, but also by his limited game time at Villa Park.

Elliott, who has only made seven appearances in all competitions and hasn't been included in a matchday squad since October, is facing an uncertain future. Despite impressing Villa's coaching staff with his dedication and effort in training, he has been consistently overlooked by Villa manager Unai Emery.

Emery has virtually confirmed that Villa will not be signing him on a permanent basis, leaving Elliott's immediate future up in the air. The lack of playing time can be attributed to Villa's reluctance to activate his £35 million purchase clause.

The BBC claimed earlier this month that there is no recall clause in the deal that took him to Villa. While the agreement could be cancelled, this doesn't take into account that Liverpool's management likely factored his sale into their budget.

FIFA regulations stipulate that a player cannot represent more than one club in a season. Elliott's brief appearance for Liverpool against Newcastle at the start of the campaign means the deal can't be cancelled just to loan him out again.

If he were to return to Anfield, he would have to spend the rest of the season with Liverpool. This could potentially be a silver lining for Slot, given the increasing number of injuries within the squad.

Alexander Isak was the most recent to face a setback after being forced off just 10 minutes into the match against Tottenham on Saturday following a collision with Micky van de Ven. Cody Gakpo is also out due to injury, while Mohamed Salah is currently representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Wataru Endo is unavailable due to injury, leaving Slot heavily reliant on his existing midfielders, with limited options for substitutes as a result. Florian Wirtz hobbled off the pitch in the final moments of the victory over Tottenham on Saturday, clutching the back of his leg, likely from cramp, but nonetheless worrying given Liverpool can ill afford any further injury setbacks.