Liverpool are evaluating an unconventional route to reshape Harvey Elliott’s future after his loan spell at Aston Villa stalled far earlier than expected.

The 19-year-old left Anfield on 1 September, joining Villa on a season-long loan that includes both a buy-back clause and an obligation for the Birmingham club to purchase him permanently for £35 million next summer.

It was a deal designed to give Elliott regular Premier League minutes — but the plan has quickly unraveled.

Since his arrival, the midfielder has featured only five times in all competitions under Unai Emery, well short of the minimum appearances reportedly required to activate the mandatory purchase clause.

With opportunities drying up, both clubs have begun re-assessing the trajectory of his season.

A Rule That Complicates His Return to Liverpool

Liverpool are considering recalling Elliott in January to ensure he plays consistently in the second half of the campaign.

Yet FIFA regulations present a significant obstacle: because Elliott has already represented both Liverpool and Aston Villa this season, he cannot be loaned to a third club in England or across Europe.

According to a report from BBC Sport, this restriction leaves Liverpool with limited pathways — unless they exploit a particular exception embedded in FIFA’s rulebook.

FIFA’s regulations state that a player may be registered with up to three clubs in a single season but is eligible to play official matches for only two.

The exception applies when a player moves between associations whose domestic seasons operate on different calendars, such as between Europe and leagues that begin in winter or early spring.

This opens the door to a potential solution: a move to Major League Soccer.

The American MLS season begins in February, meaning Elliott could technically be registered and eligible to play there despite already representing two clubs this season.

The rule permits such a transfer provided the player has met all contractual obligations with his previous teams and that standard registration-window requirements are followed.

For Liverpool, this offers a rare but viable avenue — an opportunity to place Elliott in a competitive environment where he can rebuild momentum, rather than watching his development stall on the bench at Villa Park.

Should the Reds choose to exercise this loophole, Elliott could find himself heading to the United States in January, restarting his campaign a world away from where it began.