Liverpool refuse to waive fee, leaving Harvey Elliott stranded at Aston Villa

Harvey Elliott faces the end of the season stranded at Aston Villa after Liverpool refused to waive a fee that would have allowed his loan to be terminated. The 22-year-old has been frozen out by Unai Emery as the clubs try to avoid triggering a mandatory transfer clause.

The loan agreement did not include a unilateral recall clause, meaning Villa would have had to pay to cancel the deal. Villa, who are covering Elliott's wages, were unwilling to pay a premium and Liverpool declined to waive the cancellation fee before the deadline.

The agreement converts into a permanent move if Elliott reaches 10 appearances, a figure Villa value at around £30m while Liverpool sources put closer to £35m; he is currently on seven appearances and has been kept out of the squad to avoid activating the clause.

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