Midfielder set for SENSATIONAL Liverpool return

Last summer brought a significant overhaul of the Liverpool squad in the transfer window.

We saw British record deals for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz - while the likes of Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Giorgi Mamardashvili all arrived as part of a £450m spending spree.

Sporting director Richard Hughes also ended the Anfield careers of several players - including Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Caoimhin Kelleher and more.

Others were allowed to leave on loan - and in the case of Harvey Elliott it was expected that his loan spell at Aston Villa would become permanent at the end of the season.

Harvey Elliott struggling for Aston Villa breakthrough

The 22-year-old was unable to break into Arne Slot’s first XI during the Dutchman’s Premier League title-winning campaign.

Accordingly he accepted a one-year loan deal at Villa Park - with a view to a permanent move if certain conditions were met. The England under-21 international will have to play at least 10 games for the permanent transfer to become active.

In ordinary circumstances it might be expected that a player as good as Elliott would have no problem reaching that total. Only it’s not worked out like that and all parties - Liverpool, Aston Villa and Elliott - are now said to be disappointed.

Elliott set for January Liverpool return

Elliott has only played five times in total for Unai Emery’s side - including four appearances in the Premier League - and serious doubts are being raised over whether or not this deal goes through.

A report in Rousing the Kop now claims that the loan deal may well be called off in January - with Elliott returning to Anfield. The playmaker could rejoin the first-team squad or else be sent out on loan to another club until the end of the season.

Obviously that wouldn’t be ideal for Liverpool as Elliott would only have one year left on his contract. His transfer value would really diminish and the Reds could find themselves losing out on significant transfer income.

Elliott deal worth MORE than £35m

The same report claims Elliott’s permanent deal will be worth FAR more than £35m - the initial transfer figure reported around deadline day.

Right now it appears that Emery doesn’t fancy Elliott - with other players ahead of him in the pecking order.

From Villa’s perspective it might prove to be an errant move to play him a few more times - and thereby commit themselves to a player who the manager has barely used to this point.

So it does appear Elliott’s future is up in the air - and a quick return to Anfield after an unhappy spell away cannot be ruled out.

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