Aston Villa transfer news: Unai Emery explains "the problem" with summer signing ahead of January window

Unai Emery has revealed that Harvey Elliott has not played for Aston Villa recently because they have no intention of signing him permanently.

The Lions suffered a bruising 4-1 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates on Thursday, though they are still third in the Premier League table.

Villa's clash in London was yet another game that summer signing Elliott did not feature in, with the Liverpool loanee having made just five appearances for the club this season.

Emery's side have an obligation to buy the 22-year-old if he plays 10 Premier League games, but the head coach insisted that he has not been particularly impressed by the attacker.

Speaking to reporters, the Spaniard revealed that the club decided two months ago to not play Elliott in order to avoid paying a £35m fee to Liverpool, saying: "The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him.

"We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him. This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions.

"This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football and sometimes we must take some decisions which are not good for everyone."

FIFA regulations mean the Englishman cannot represent more than two European clubs in a single season, or play for more tan two sides with the same footballing calendar as teams in Europe.

January transfer window: What next for Aston Villa and Emery?

Though Villa have won 11 of their last 12 games, there have been concerns that the club have not been performing at a sustainable level, with critics arguing that the Lions' underlying numbers hinted at a looming dip in form.

It is important to note that Emery has been working with a depleted squad, and injuries to key stars Pau Torres, Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara proved too much to overcome at the Emirates.

Those absences seriously impacted the side's ability to win second balls and to play out from defence, so perhaps signing someone capable of contributing in buildup would be beneficial, regardless of whether they are a midfielder or centre-back.

Striker Ollie Watkins has also struggled to make the most of dangerous opportunities this season, with the Englishman failing to take advantage of a number of promising attacks against Arsenal.

Looking for either a competitor or successor to the centre-forward could be key for Villa's hopes of securing Champions League football, or even potentially pushing for the title.

How much blame does Arne Slot have for Harvey Elliott's situation?

Arne Slot brought Elliott on for Liverpool against Newcastle United in late August, before a deal was then agreed to loan the player to Villa.

While Slot could not have predicted that Emery would be so distrustful of the 22-year-old, his decision to substitute Elliott on against the Magpies was bizarre.

The Liverpool boss started Elliott twice in the Premier League last term, but those starts only came when the title was already won, and bringing him on as a late substitute has now thrown his immediate career into jeopardy.

Elliott has been linked with a move to MLS sides, though it remains to be seen if he would opt to change continents at this stage of the season.