Harvey Elliott Criticized for Fitness Levels During Valencia Loan Spell
Spanish media reports suggest the Liverpool midfielder arrived at Valencia overweight, impacting his playing time.
Harvey Elliott has faced criticism from Spanish media regarding his fitness upon arriving at Valencia for his loan spell. Reports from outlet Marca state the Liverpool midfielder was "well overweight for his physique" when he joined the club, a situation attributed to an "atypical pre-season" at his parent club.
Elliott, 23, moved to the Spanish side at the beginning of the month on a season-long loan. He has yet to start a LaLiga game for Valencia and has made three substitute appearances, with his limited game time attributed to his conditioning.
The current three-week international break has halted club football, and with Elliott not currently involved in the England setup, he is reportedly being encouraged to focus on improving his fitness.
This loan spell marks Elliott's second away from Liverpool, following a challenging period at Aston Villa last season. During his time at Villa Park, then-manager Unai Emery used Elliott sparingly, with the midfielder making just nine appearances and scoring one goal. Elliott himself has spoken about the mental and physical toll of that period, describing it as a "learning curve" and "tough" but also acknowledging he gained experience and finished the season with a Europa League medal.
Elliott has accumulated close to 150 appearances for Liverpool and won a Premier League title during his time at Anfield.