Harvey Elliott's grim predicament shows players really can be 'thrown under the bus'

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After Harvey Elliott completed a deadline-day loan switch to Aston Villa from Liverpool, Mo Salah took to social media to express his views on the player and the move.

Salah and Elliott developed a close relationship at Anfield and this is what the Egyptian posted: “You’ll be remembered for your loyalty and dedication every time you were called upon. You leave as a champion and I’ve got no doubt you’ll do big things at your new club. They are lucky to have you.”

Alas, it seems, Unai Emery does not consider himself lucky to have Elliott. He has given him 96 minutes of Premier League football since the Liverpool player was brought to Villa Park on a deal that should embarrass the game’s authorities.

Elliott’s friend and mentor - he refers to Salah as "more than a brother to me" - is currently being widely and very strongly criticised for speaking out against what he perceives as unfair treatment from a club. Elliott himself has been quiet but when it comes to unfair treatment, he would seemingly have a stronger case than Salah.

Either way, neither have been playing much football recently. In fact, when Elliott was left at home while Aston Villa were in Basel for a Europa League commitment, it meant the 22-year-old midfielder had played four minutes of competitive football in ten weeks.

The idea that a player should always put club first and individual second has spectacularly returned into fashion during Mo-gate. But Elliott’s scenario has shown that clubs can be pretty brutal towards players.

It is fair to say no-one comes out of Elliott’s current situation well. To recap, here is that situation.

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Just before the summer window closed, Villa signed Elliott on loan, with a £35million obligation to buy. But that obligation kicks in only after Elliott has made ten appearances.

Elliott was named player of the tournament when England under-21s won Euro 2025, had played 149 times for Liverpool and Emery was, apparently, a big fan. The ten-appearance clause seemed a formality.

Only Emery no longer rates Elliott, if he ever did. Elliott has no future at Villa. He has played five times and that will be it.

To repeat, there are few parties who come out of this predicament well, but the system that allows Premier League clubs to loan players between themselves is again highlighted as fundamentally flawed. If you were unable to loan between Premier League clubs, Villa would have had to have bought or not bought Elliott. Show faith in him and their own judgement.

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Instead, they have left him in limbo, because as he had played a minute for Liverpool early the season, he cannot play for a third club this season. That is a FIFA rule that the Premier League sticks to.

Apparently, Liverpool have no recall clause but you would have thought the clubs could cancel the deal and Elliott could go back to Anfield. The only problem is that they didn’t want him.

The bottom line is that it is a mess. Who is to blame? Agents? The managers? Directors of football? A terrible transfer system? Or a combination of them all?

One thing is for sure. It is almost certainly not Elliott.

And while it might not apply to Salah himself, it is sometimes worth remembering players can indeed be ‘thrown under the bus’. As Salah’s great friend now knows.

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