Elliott’s Loan Situation at Aston Villa: Potential Move to Charlotte FC

Harvey Elliott completed his loan move to Aston Villa on deadline day, with an obligation to buy if he made 10 appearances for the club. However, Elliott has only played five times since joining and has not featured since September, leading to speculation that Villa may not be interested in activating the purchase clause.

FIFA regulations prevent Elliott from joining most clubs worldwide, as players are prohibited from competing for three clubs that operate on a summer-to-spring schedule. This limitation affects his eligibility, given that he played only one minute for Liverpool prior to his transfer to Villa in September.

One potential destination for Elliott is Major League Soccer, as it does not currently follow the same seasonal structure. Charlotte FC stands out as one of the few clubs that could offer him playing time ahead of the World Cup, should neither Aston Villa nor Liverpool plan to utilize him during the latter half of the Premier League season.

Sources informed GOAL that discussions between Charlotte and Elliott are preliminary, and any further interest will largely depend on the outcome of negotiations between Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Fabrizio Romano first reported Charlotte’s interest in Elliott. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery acknowledged that the club is considering the possibility of terminating Elliott’s loan during the January transfer window, although no official decision has been reached with Liverpool yet.

Emery stated, “I am respecting him as much as we can because he’s a very good professional, very respectful, but the situation we have is complex. I must make a decision without compromising his well-being, as he is an excellent person and player who deserves the best. After he departs, we might use his position to explore other opportunities.”

He further explained, “The challenge we face with Harvey is that he is on loan this year, and if he plays matches, we must sign him. We decided two months ago that we are not convinced about proceeding with the purchase.”

Charlotte FC has previously utilized this FIFA rule to sign notable players, such as Premier League veteran Wilfried Zaha, who was loaned from Galatasaray to Lyon in August 2024. This loan was terminated in January 2025, allowing Zaha to join Charlotte, where he has significantly contributed to the team.

Zaha played a pivotal role for Charlotte last season, achieving double digits in both goals and assists, helping the club reach the playoffs. The team is under the management of former Aston Villa coach Dean Smith.

As the weekend approaches, Aston Villa currently occupies third place in the Premier League, trailing league leaders Arsenal by six points, while Liverpool sits in fourth place, also six points behind Villa after 19 games.