SOCCER: Elliott calls Liverpool return a second chance after Villa loan

Harvey Elliott said he is determined to make the most of his return to Liverpool after a difficult loan spell at Aston Villa limited his playing time and tested him mentally.

The 23-year-old midfielder joined Villa on a season-long loan last year with an obligation to buy if he reached a certain number of appearances. However, the club decided against making the move permanent after Elliott struggled to secure regular minutes under manager Unai Emery.

Elliott said his return to Anfield feels like a fresh start, especially with new manager Andoni Iraola and his coaching staff providing another opportunity to prove himself. He has already featured in Liverpool’s first two pre-season matches.

"I'm here and it's kind of a second chance, if you want to call it," Elliott told reporters on Thursday.

"Especially with the gaffer and new coaching staff coming in, it's another chance to impress and hopefully get in their good books."

Elliott thanked Villa for the experience despite the challenges he faced and said he has no hard feelings toward the club.

"I wish Villa nothing but the very best. Unfortunately, the situation happened, but it's another learning curve. I'm here now and I'm trying to cement my spot in the team or within the squad," he said.

The midfielder, who joined Liverpool in 2019, made only nine appearances in all competitions for Villa last season. He described the experience as one of the toughest periods of his career but said it helped him grow as a player.

"Mentally, it was a very tough one, it was a learning curve," Elliott said. "It was an opportunity for me to experience something new, as much as I didn't want to do it, and I don't wish it upon any other player, because it's not nice at all."

Despite the difficult spell, Elliott said he was proud to be part of Villa’s Europa League-winning campaign and viewed the experience as another important chapter in his career.

"I have no hard feelings. I'm on the other side of it now. I was able to get through it and achieve something at the end of the season as well, another historical moment for the club, and to be part of that was another great situation," he said.

Liverpool, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season, will begin their new campaign against Newcastle United on August 23. -Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry/Reuters