Especially the bank balance
3 Likes
I think Harvey will be back, but it will go late in the window. Itās a lot more complicated than I think fans are necessarily understanding, with conversations about loan fees, transfer fees, wages, gentlemenās agreements around other players etc. to be sorted, and I think a bit of brinkmanship is going on
For example both sides can now be fully aware that Ā£35m is not going to change hands for Elliott - Villa have made that abundantly clear - so the only question is whether he returned now or in the summer.
So who pays his wages for the year? Do Villa have to swallow that or are they expecting Liverpool to take that on? What about the loan fee? Do Villa want a rebate on that or are Liverpool insisting it was made in good faith, and it isnāt our fault they have decided they donāt want Elliott?
If something isnāt thrashed out Iād be phenomenally disappointed in both clubs on a human level. But I think Villa in particular have acted particularly shitty, especially as Liverpool did them a massive PSR favour allowing them to defer payment for 12 months.
5 Likes
It may be on Harvey to push for some kind of outcome but if Slot isnāt sold on him heās essentially fighting to get out of Villa only to come sit on our bench. At least here he might get some game time but either way this whole thing has resulted in him losing another year of his career. A career thatās already been hampered by one long injury absence and another season of barely playing.
I do wonder how hard either he or us might be fighting for him to return.
2 Likes
I think he becomes a headache for Slot if he comes back and Slot still doesnt have any intention to use him. Weāve then got a manager having to repeatedly answer questions about a player he always said he didnāt have plans for and are now paying his wages.
2 Likes
I heard Harvey canāt play for LFC this season even if he comes back. Something about playing for one club only if a loan agreement was somehow involved between the clubs.
There is not fancying him, and there is cutting off your nose to spite your face when your attacking options are already threadbare, in dreadful form, aging out, or had their legs snapped
Slotās circumstances since the summer have changed. He has lost three players to season enders, Gakpo is out of form, Salah looks like time is catching up with him. He looks short of forward options.
Elliott is a homegrown, experienced player who can be added to the squad and provide cover with very little cost. If Harvey coming back is an issue logistically with Villa taking the piss with how they conduct themselves, thatās understandable. If he doesnāt come back because Slot is saying ānah, donāt want himā then frankly fuck him. Itās looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Iām pretty sure that he canāt go on loan for a third club. Returning to us is OK. I think he could technically go on loan abroad.
3 Likes
He can play for us as he already has played for us and we can register him in this window.
He canāt play in Europe but beyond that he can, hence Charlotte were interested in MLS.
4 Likes
Not that Chiesa lacks the desire but Iād very much prefer Liverpool selling him now and bringing Elliott back, even if it was only until the summer. Chiesa will never be a good Liverpool player, and while the chances of Elliott becoming one are pretty much dead in the water (unless the prospective new coach changes something in the summer), he looks a better fit for this Liverpool side, especially looking at the way Slot has used Chiesa so far. I wonder if their respective situations are somehow connected - Chiesa has been heavily rumoured to be on Spallettiās radar but thereās been no movement on that, nor on Elliottās current predicament.
4 Likes
Is Elliott remotely match fit though? And if he isnāt, which is almost certainly the case, would he get any kind of game time for that to happen or would Slot use that as a reason to continue to not pick him?
Saying that most of ours look cooked by about 60 minutes so perhaps heād fit right in.
1 Like
I said last season that I think Elliot is often a great option from the bench, full of energy, has often helped us close out or turn round matches.
Not sure what condition he will be in now, and I can imagine Arne wants to keep working on a core group of players so his presence may complicate things but I canāt imagine his return would be the worst thing in the world for us.
If anything he will feel he has a point to prove and less impacted by the low morale affecting our current squad.
1 Like
Perhaps as it looks like we might not get the money for Elliott (which we basically counted in last summer, I mean he needed or needs 10 games for it to be activatedā¦), that also influenced our strategy in this window. Along other factors of course, still being unsure of our CL/European status next season, question mark above the coach, etc.
to me its a no brainer, from a club POV but also a human POV
Harvey moved on the carve out a premier league career for himself, he enjoyed his time here but didnt want to keep being a bit part player.
so from his POV, he can stay at Villa and rot, or come āhomeā maybe get the odd fifteen minutes ( relieve Wirtz) at a club he loves, and look to maybe impact a decision to move to another club that will give him a bit of a go.
his conditioning will be underdone, but not a million miles away from playing some football.
Slot just uses that as a bit of a buffer against using players he doesnt want.
im sure Slot will use Harvey in moments.
as mentioned elsewhere, rather see him on than Chiesa.
plusā¦football is a very strange game, he comes back and does wellā¦anything can happen
2 Likes
Iāve read somewhere that if LFC bring Harvey back, there is a likelihood they would have to pay Villa a fee for doing so.
As no-one is likely to have the loan agreement contract to analyse, there could be numerous wrinkles that have to be ironed outā¦
Either way, can see LFC ādigging-inā without being humbled in this scenario no matter what.
I like Elliot, but if he comes back how much does he really help us? Who is he better than? Szobo? Mo? Jones? Who does he play instead of?
Chiesa.
maybe Rio.
probably the best way to rest Wirtz without changing the system up if we are on top.
That would be dreadful if true. As I said before, it was a terrible bit of business by the club to give Villa the put option and I hope they never make such an avoidable mistake again.
2 Likes
The biggest question is would Harvey want to come back. He wouldnāt be in the situation he was if he felt he had another option at LFC.
.
Itās not like throwing yourself at the feet of a Manager who wanted you gone is a game winning strategy.
i cant imagine he wouldnt.
he loved it here and only left becuase he was getting scraps of gametimeā¦
those scraps are more than hes getting where he is at, which is a club he has no affiliation with.
i know he wasnt pivotal in either campaign, but he did play a role, so its time we reminded ourselves he has 2 PL winners medalsā¦
i honestly think we are overthinking this.
If I was Elliot, I might ask for a transfer - to force an issue. Losing a season in a career that oftentimes only lasts a dozen years is far from ideal. Heāll miss this World Cup and likely only has a chance at one more, maybe a couple of Eurosā¦ Timing is everything and ironically heās got nothing but time on his handsā¦