What was supposed to be an upturn for Harvey Elliott is shaping up to be another round of downturn after a disastrous loan spell at Aston Villa. The 23-year-old has struggled since joining Valencia on loan, following what Spanish media describe as an “atypical pre-season”.
Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott has come under heavy pressure at Valencia, where his lack of pre-season training has made him “lazy and overweight”.
Wayne Rooney: “This is what I’ve heard about JJ Gabriel at Manchester United’s training ground”
Things are not going so well for the club either, Valencia have brought in former Mexico national team manager Carlos Corberán. So, in addition to being poorly trained, he now gets a manager who is known for demanding discipline.
The 23-year-old struggled in the run-up to his loan spell at Valencia, with less game time and greater uncertainty about Liverpool’s future for Elliott.
Marca writes that he is now “paying” the price for an atypical pre-season, and must lose weight within the next three weeks to satisfy Valencia’s physical demands.
Arsenal give Martin Ødegaard a very well-deserved reward
Harvey Elliott gets harsh verdict after difficult start at Valencia
Marca pointed to Elliott’s lack of minutes this LaLiga season – only 85 minutes spread over three games in the Spanish top flight.
Against Barcelona, the Englishman played 36 minutes, against Sevilla 28 minutes, and Elliott got an even smaller performance in 21 minutes when his team hosted Real Sociedad.
Against Alavés, where Valencia won 1-0 away, Marca pointed out that Elliott did not appear “for a single minute … He is well overweight for his physique.”
“He’s a far cry from the Elliott of yesteryear, the one who dazzled with the quality he possesses,” the Spanish website wrote. “And he doesn’t shine because he’s out of shape. He’s well overweight for his physique.
“And now is the time to get fit. This is practically a pre-season tailor-made for him. He is one of those who should make full use of a calendar like this, with three weeks without football.
“His physical fitness needs to be optimal to fully develop his abilities, and so far that hasn’t been the case, because the British player arrived out of shape.”
“This was somewhat understandable, given that he was not part of the Reds’ plans and that they wanted to get rid of him. He had an atypical pre-season. And now he is paying the price.
“For now, he is paying the price for not being fit and now he has to give everything to reach top form in these three weeks and contribute to the team,” the Spanish website concluded.
Marca also wrote that Elliott’s “positive attitude” has stalled over the past two years. After Jürgen Klopp’s time at Anfield ended in 2024, the Englishman was given fewer opportunities at Liverpool.
Arne Slot put almost all the offensive emphasis on players like Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s Premier League win in 2024/25, which alienated Elliott.
As a result, the 23-year-old was sent to Aston Villa, where the problems continued under Unai Emery. The Englishman played only 11 games, a total of 304 minutes, while the Villans won the Europa League.
Does Harvey Elliott still have a future at Liverpool?
After Slot’s departure, there was a broad consensus among Liverpool fans that Elliott’s role as a super substitute, as he often was under Klopp, would return.
Instead, ruthless new boss Andoni Iraola felt that the 23-year-old was unnecessary in his plans to renew Liverpool, sending Elliott out on a second consecutive loan spell.
At Valencia, the Englishman is the squad’s third highest-paid player, with the Spanish top club covering most of Elliott’s Premier League salary.
According to BBC Sport, there is no option or obligation for the LaLiga club to sign Elliott at the end of 2026/27 – meaning the 23-year-old’s future on Merseyside could still be alive.
When asked how it felt to join Valencia on a season-long loan, the Englishman seemed to signal that he had learned to accept rejection, after his experiences under Slot and Emery.
“I wanted the opportunity to come here, play regularly and experience a different league,” Elliott said.
“I’m very grateful to Valencia for giving me that opportunity. I feel ready to start, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the coach if he wants to put me in.”
