Key Highlights
- Harvey Elliott was left out of the Aston Villa squad for their 1-0 win over Manchester City.
- Villa are obliged to make Elliott’s move permanent if he makes ten appearances this season, with a £35 million fee attached.
- Unai Emery has excluded Elliott due to tactical reasons and believes in his quality but needs more time for him to integrate into the team structure.
- Elliott has featured five times so far but hasn’t broken into the starting lineup consistently.
The Aston Villa Squad Decision
Harvey Elliott, a loan signing from Liverpool, was notably left out of Aston Villa’s squad for their 1-0 victory over Manchester City on October 26, 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive match in which the young midfielder has not seen action. Unai Emery, the head coach, cited this decision as a purely tactical one but acknowledged Elliott’s commitment and potential.
Emery stated during the post-match press conference that he decided to exclude Elliott because “in the squad we needed one player to take out.” He further emphasized that Elliott is training well and his commitment remains strong. Despite these assurances, Emery’s decision has drawn attention as it contrasts with previous comments about Elliott’s performance.
Transfer Obligation and Performance Concerns
Elliott joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan in the hopes of making a permanent move for £35 million should he meet certain criteria. Specifically, Villa are obliged to make the transfer if Elliott makes ten appearances this season. As of October 26, 2025, Elliott has only featured five times, indicating that his performance does not yet meet Emery’s expectations.
The coach explained, “Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have.” This statement underscores the ongoing process of integrating Elliott into the team’s playing style and tactics.
Emery also highlighted that other players are performing well in the positions where Elliott might fit, suggesting a competitive environment within the squad. He added, “This is the main reason he is not playing the last matches minutes, but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session and of course getting his confidence in the performance we need through him.”
Background on Elliott’s Villa Career
Elliott made his debut for Aston Villa with a 19-minute cameo against Everton on September 13, 2025. His next appearance came as he started in the Carabao Cup match against Brentford, where he scored Villa’s first goal of the season but was eliminated via penalty shootout. In subsequent matches, Elliott returned to the starting lineup for a Premier League clash with Fulham, only to be substituted at half-time due to performance concerns.
His last appearance before the Manchester City game came on October 2, 2025, in a Europa League match against Feyenoord, where he played just four minutes. This pattern of limited playing time reflects Emery’s belief that Elliott needs more time to integrate into Aston Villa’s system.
The decision to leave Elliott out of the squad for Manchester City further emphasizes the challenges he faces in establishing himself as a regular first-team player at Aston Villa, despite his potential and commitment to the team.
