MLS Club Makes Bold Move for Liverpool Outcast Harvey Elliott as Aston Villa Circles
Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer are said to be pursuing Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, who is presently on loan at Aston Villa.
Elliott departed Liverpool on transfer deadline day in September to link up with Unai Emery's squad, seeking to advance his career after spending years as a peripheral figure at his home club. The loan arrangement, valued at approximately £35 million ($47.1 million), contains a mandatory purchase clause that activates next summer should the midfielder feature in 10 matches for Aston Villa.
However, Elliott has only appeared five times for Villa, with no involvement since October. The club appears reluctant to activate the buying option for the 22-year-old, while Liverpool lacks any recall provision for their player.
Making matters worse, the England international, having already represented both Liverpool and Aston Villa this campaign, is prohibited from joining a third team operating on a summer-to-spring calendar under FIFA regulations. With limited alternatives available, Charlotte has surfaced as a possible destination for Elliott.
The Athletic indicates the MLS franchise is keen on securing the former Liverpool player's services through a deal resembling the one that brought Wilfried Zaha to North Carolina in 2025; the attacker had previously turned out for Galatasaray and Lyon before joining Charlotte, who exited in the first round of the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs.
Elliott remains "uncertain about his future," but must choose between continuing as a substitute under Emery or making the significant move to MLS, whose 2026 campaign begins in late February.
Emery Provides Assessment of Elliott's Aston Villa Prospects
Emery addressed Elliott's limited playing time following his transfer to Aston Villa, providing insight into the difficult situation facing the manager, player, and club.
"I need to make a choice without harming the individual. He's an excellent person and footballer who deserves the finest. Once he departs, we might utilize his position to work toward something," Emery explained.
"Our challenge with Harvey is that he's here on loan this season, and if he plays matches, we're obligated to purchase him. We determined two months ago that we're not convinced about signing him and spending the required funds.
"That's the dilemma. However, he trains daily, maintains a positive attitude with us to assist in training, and naturally it's not beneficial for him or us, but this is football and sometimes we must make decisions that aren't favorable for us."
Elliott has accumulated merely 167 minutes at Aston Villa across four months. A transfer to MLS would provide the talented youngster his optimal chance for consistent playing time until June, unless Aston Villa and Liverpool reach a fresh agreement.