New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola intends to welcome midfielder Harvey Elliott back into the first-team squad after a "difficult" loan spell at Aston Villa.
Elliott, 23, spent the previous season on loan with Aston Villa under manager Unai Emery, where he accumulated only 109 minutes of playing time. Speaking in his first press conference since taking over from Arne Slot, Iraola expressed optimism about Elliott's work ethic and potential contribution to the Liverpool team.
"Harvey is here with us, I have seen him with the eagerness to show up, get super ready, he’ll have a chance in pre-season, we’ll need him and it’s a good sign," Iraola stated. "I hope we can see him in a good place. I think Harvey comes from last season. [It] had to be difficult for him; strange situation. They couldn’t even play him, and I think he uses this experience - the bad situation - to make himself even more eager to be a Liverpool player."
An obligation-to-buy clause in Elliott's loan agreement with Aston Villa would have required the club to purchase him for £35 million after a certain number of appearances. To avoid this financial commitment, Emery kept Elliott on the bench for the latter half of the season.
In May, Emery apologized for the situation, describing it as "embarrassing" and acknowledging that it hindered Elliott's development during a crucial stage of his career. "My apologies for Harvey Elliott, is every day in my mind. But it is [about] responsibility," Emery said. "As a human and as a person, how the season has gone has been difficult."
With Iraola's arrival, Elliott has an opportunity to re-establish himself at Liverpool. The club has also made two signings, Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz, as Iraola looks to strengthen the squad amid the absence of key players like Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah.