Aston Villa will reportedly have a conversation with Liverpool about returning Harvey Elliott in January after Unai Emery showed his hand in an embarrassing development for the midfielder.

Villasigned Elliottas one of five incoming transfers in the summer. The only signings they actually paid a sum for were Evann Guessand and Marco Bizot, though they’ll have to pay ￡35million for Elliott is he plays 10 games.

Currently, it looks like there’s no danger of that happening, with Emery seemingly not a fan of the midfielder.

Indeed, Elliott has played just five games this term and after sitting on the bench against Burnley and Tottenham, he did not even make the squad for games against Manchester City, Bournemouth and Leeds – Villa won all of those games.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Elliott will be the subject of a conversation regarding sending him back to Liverpool in the New Year.

It is suggested that financial reasons make it unlikely for them to commit to spending ￡35million on Elliott, and given he’s not been playing and they’ve been winning, they simply don’t need him.

As such, sending him back in January would save him having to sit in the stands until the end of the season.

That Emery is not bothered about playing him was proven when against Leeds, 18-year-old midfielder George Hemmings sat on the bench instead of him.

Hemmings is yet to play a senior game and that was his first time on the bench, but he was preferred to Elliott nonetheless, suggesting that if Emery wants reinforcements, he’s happy with taking a chance on an academy player rather than calling upon the Liverpool loanee.

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Emery recently said of Elliott: “He is training well, and he played some matches, but the performances weren’t what we needed. Some players are playing as a No 10, and they are playing well, like [Emi] Buendia and [Morgan] Rogers. Also Ross Barkley, after he was out.

“In the squad, we needed to take one player out, and I decided for [it to be] him. I am happy with him. He is training good. His commitment is fantastic and he is a good guy. [It is] Only a tactical decision.”

But with Buendia and Barkley both impressing when called upon, the need for Elliott is lessened still, and Villa are happy to let go.

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