Aston Villa have signed midfielder Harvey Elliott on loan from Liverpool with a £35m obligation to buy.
Liverpool have included sell-on and buy-back clauses into the deal for the 22-year-old midfielder.
Aston Villa beat off competition from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, while Elliott rebuffed interest from both West Ham and Fulham earlier in the summer.
The arrival of Alexander Isak at Liverpool further reduced opportunities for an attacking player who was already struggling for regular starts.
The player is eager to build on the positive momentum of the U21 European Championships, where he was named Player of the Tournament after scoring five goals throughout the campaign.
Speaking in May, Elliott admitted he would need to do „what’s best“ for his career in the summer when asked about his Liverpool future.
The England U21 international made one appearance for the Reds in the opening three games of the Premier League season, a one-minute outing off the bench against Newcastle.
Analysis: Elliott looks smart buy
Sky Sports‘ Adam Bate:
Harvey Elliott was the player of the tournament at the U21 European Championship in the summer, simply outstanding as England retained the trophy that he had played a part in winning two summers ago. That context is important.
Newcastle United have just paid Stuttgart more than double the price that Aston Villa are handing over to Liverpool to acquire Nick Woltemade. Different players, different positions, but Woltemade was the top scorer out in Slovakia and the next best player.
Elliott’s Premier League career heat map and shot map
For all the talk of Premier League players – and English ones, in particular – being traded for inflated prices, there is another force at play. It is that tendency to be less excited about the familiar, the known quantity. Trickier to argue they are the next Lionel Messi.
Perhaps Elliott suffers from that more than most having made his Premier League debut for Fulham aged just 16. It feels a little surprising that he only turned 22 in April given that he has already made 149 senior appearances for Liverpool. At £35m, it is a bargain.
Aston Villa have looked short of craft in these opening three games, the only team in the top four tiers of the English game yet to score a league goal. Elliott will help with that, directly and indirectly. He is a threat from distance and can pick out a pass too.
His versatility will appeal to Unai Emery, as will his work rate, and regular first-team football – in the Premier League and in Europe – should aid his England ambitions too. Elliott will aim to make a late push for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. Good signing.
Villa confirm Lindelof signing
Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of former Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof on a free transfer.
Lindelof was without a club after leaving Old Trafford at the end of his contract in June.
The Sweden international, who has been capped 71 times by his country, made 26 appearances for United across all competitions last season.
Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games this season
215 live Premier League matches up from 128 this season on Sky Sports
From this season, Sky Sports‘ Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season are on Sky Sports.
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