Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott given three-week ultimatum after nightmare Valencia start

Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott has come under fire at Valencia, with his lack of pre-season training leaving him overweight in Spain.

The 23-year-old suffered in the pre-season build-up to his Valencia loan move, with Elliott receiving less game-time and more uncertainty regarding his Liverpool future.

According to Marca, the Reds loanee is ‘paying the price of an atypical pre-season’ and must lose weight within the next three weeks to satisfy Valencia’s physical demands.

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Harvey Elliott handed brutal assessment after difficult Valencia start

Marca pointed to Elliott’s lack of minutes this La Liga term, receiving just 85 across three games in the Spanish top-flight.

Versus Barcelona, the Englishman played 36 minutes, against Sevilla, he featured for 28 minutes, and Elliot received an even smaller 21-minute cameo while his side hosted Real Sociedad.

Against Alaves, where Valencia prevailed 1-0 on the road, Marca pointed out that Elliott failed to appear for “even a minute… He’s well overweight for his physique.”

“He's far from the Elliott of the past who dazzled with the quality he possesses,” wrote the Spanish outlet. And he's not shining because he's out of shape. He's well overweight for his physique.

“And now is the time to get fit. This is practically a preseason tailored for him. He's one of those who should be taking full advantage of a schedule like this one, with three weeks without football.

“His physical condition needs to be optimal to fully develop his abilities, and so far that hasn't been the case because the British player arrived out of shape.”

Marca continued: “This was somewhat understandable, given that he wasn't in the Reds' plans and they were looking to offload him. He had an atypical preseason . And now he's paying the price.

“For now, he's paying the price for not being in shape, and now he must give it his all to reach peak form in these three weeks and contribute to the team,” the Spanish outlet concluded.

Marca also wrote that Elliott’s ‘positive outlook’ has stalled in the last two years. After Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield tenure ended in 2024, the Englishman was given fewer opportunities in his Liverpool side.

Arne Slot placed near-total attacking emphasis on the likes of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Reds’ 2024-25 Premier League victory, alienating Elliott.

As a result, the 23-year-old was shipped to Aston Villa, where his woes continued under Unai Emery. The Englishman appeared in just 11 games, for 304 minutes, as the Villans achieved Europa League glory.

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Does Harvey Elliott still have a future at Liverpool?

After Slot’s departure, it was widely expected within the Reds’ fanbase that Elliott’s role as a super substitute, as he often was under Klopp, would return.

Instead, ruthless new boss Andoni Iraola deemed the 23-year-old unnecessary in his plans to rejuvenate Liverpool, and sent Elliott out on a second successive loan period.

At Valencia, the Englishman is the squad’s third-highest earner, with the Spanish top-flight club covering the vast majority of Elliott’s Premier League-level wages.

Per BBC Sport, there is no option or obligation for the La Liga side to purchase Elliott come 2026-27’s end, meaning the 23-year-old’s future on Merseyside could still be alive.

On how he felt to join Valencia on a season-long loan, the Englishman appeared to signal that he had learned to accept snubbings, after his experiences under Slot and Emery.

"I wanted the opportunity to come here, play regularly and experience a different league" claimed Elliot.

"I'm very grateful to Valencia for giving me that opportunity. I feel ready to get started, but, ultimately, it's down to the coach whether he wants to put me in."

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