Harvey Elliott potential next club after Liverpool return confirmed

Arne Slot confirmed on Thursday that Harvey Elliott would return to Liverpool at the end of the season following a disappointing loan spell at Aston Villa.

Elliott arrived on loan at Villa Park in September off the back of an impressive Euro-winning summer with England's Young Lions and appeared to finally have the opportunity to assert himself as a Premier League regular.

The deal was reported to include an obligation for Villa to sign Elliott for £35million, if the 23-year-old made 10 Premier League appearances.

However, eight months - and just 284 minutes of football - later, Elliott once again finds himself with no clear path towards realising his ambition of playing consistent Premier League football.

Speaking ahead of Liverpool's clash with Villa on Friday night, Slot admitted that he would like to see Eliott get more game time going forward.

"He went over there to get more playing time, but unfortunately that didn’t happen." The Liverpool boss said.

"For such a talented player that did so well in the U21 Euros [last summer], you want a player like that to get more and more playing time.

"He went to a very, very good team as well, where they also have a lot of good players. I don’t know why he hasn’t made the minutes he was expecting. That’s not for me to answer."

He added: "He’s contracted to us so he will be with us in the start of the season.”

With Elliott likely facing another summer of uncertainty, we've taken a look at where he could play his football next season.

Harvey Elliott Potential Next Club

Brighton

While his stock has undeniably dropped since last summer, it's worth remembering that Elliott had multiple suitors prior to his ill-fated move to Villa Park, both on the continent and in the Premier League.

One of the clubs that were repeatedly linked with Elliott was Brighton, with Fabian Hurzeler said to be a keen admirer of Elliott.

While the move ultimately didn't materialise, the Amex could re-emerge as a potential destination for Elliott when the transfer window opens.

Elliott has previously stated that his favoured position is playing behind the striker, something that Hurzeler could give him the opportunity to do in a manner similar to how fellow England U21 standout Jack Hinshelwood has been deployed in recent weeks.

RB Leipzig

In recent years young English players have repeatedly found success plying their trade in the Bundesliga, with the German top flight offering them a chance to develop their talent in a high-quality league without the various pressures associated with the Premier League.

As such, a move to RB Leipzig could be the perfect avenue for Elliott to revitalise his burgeoning potential.

According to a report by The Athletic Ole Werner's side are particularly interested in signing him, though their priority remains attempting to sign Brajan Gruda on a permanent deal after an impressive campaign on loan from Brighton.

With Leipzig winger Yan Diomande linked with a move to the Premier League, there could well be a place for Elliott as they look to bolster their options ahead of a return to the UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool

While Arne Slot hasn't indicated that Elliott would play any part in his plans on his return to Merseyside, it is perhaps too soon to say with certainty that his seven-year stint at Liverpool will soon come to an end.

After all, next season will mark the first time in nearly a decade that the Reds will be without their talisman Mohamed Salah as he is set to depart for pastures new upon the expiry of his contract.

Elliot was often brought in as a substitute to replace Salah under Slot's predecessor Jurgen Klopp and the former Fulham star's versatility would surely be an asset for Liverpool should he remain at the club as they look to bounce back from what has been a difficult campaign.

With that said, Elliott is at a stage of his career where getting consistent game time will be imperative if he is to reach the heights that so many had once predicted of him.

Whether he will be able to do so given the wealth of attacking talent at Anfield remains to be seen.