Harvey Elliott had to be ‘selfish’ in Liverpool exit but believes Villa move ‘the best thing for me’

Harvey Elliott said he had to be selfish in making the difficult decision to leave Liverpool, but insisted he will forever love the club he supported as a boy.

The midfielder has joined Aston Villa on loan, which will lead to a £35m transfer, and made his debut as a substitute in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Everton.

Elliott believes he will improve under Unai Emery, saying he has been “blown away” by the Villa manager, and decided he can only improve now by playing.

He helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season but only began two games in the competition, both after the title was sealed, and decided he had to quit Anfield.

“I loved every minute of it; every second, every day,” said Elliott, who joined Liverpool from Fulham in 2020. “I wouldn’t change it, I learned so much from being there and experienced many things.

“But I think the most important thing for me when I was making the decision was to be playing first-team football. I need to be in a team where I’m getting regular minutes. Whether that’s starting or coming off the bench, just having that feeling of going into a matchday knowing you’re going to play, that’s the only way I can improve now.

“The love I have for Liverpool is still going to be there forever, that’s not going to change, I’m still going to be watching and looking out for them from afar. I’m wishing them all the very best. But sometimes in football you need to be selfish. I made the decision to leave because I wanted to do what’s best for me.”

Elliott had attracted interest from a host of other clubs, including RB Leipzig, Fulham and West Ham, but while Villa are winless so far this season, he feels they have huge potential.

“To find the best club, there were a few difficult decisions I had to make,” he added. “I’m over the moon. I’m so happy to be here and I really want to kick on, to get this club where they deserve. With this team, anything is possible.”

Elliott said Emery helped persuade him to join Villa and he has been impressed with the Spaniard in their brief time working together.

“I think it’s just his commitment to football and his energy, his passion. It’s his detail as well, and the heart he has for all of us. The first time I ever spoke to him, I was blown away by the way he was and what he had to say about me.

“As the weeks have gone on, you see it more and more. He’s a very loving figure, he’s always looking out for you and making sure you’re okay. He does the best he can to help you as a player. I think working under him is going to be the best thing for me, as long as he trusts me.”

Elliott believes he faces a battle to earn a place in the Villa midfield, where Emery’s other options, when they are all fit, include Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Morgan Rogers.

“I like the process of having to work to get into a really good team,” he said. “I face that challenge again with Villa, it’s not going to be a walk in the park where I come in and be in the position. I need to fight for the badge and showcase what I can do on the pitch.”