Harvey Elliott says last season’s difficult loan spell at Aston Villa took a toll on him mentally, but he views this summer as providing an unexpected “second chance” at Liverpool.The 23-year-old midfielder didn’t expect to play for Liverpool again when he joined Villa last September. It was an initial season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £35million when he made 10 Premier League appearances.However, Villa boss Unai Emery soon decided he didn’t want to trigger that clause and as a result Elliott found himself frozen out — playing just 277 minutes of football in all competitions across 2025-26.“Everyone knows how much I love the club,” Elliott told reporters after Liverpool’s 1-0 friendly win over Wrexham in New York. “I’ve supported them from a very young age. It was my childhood dream. Putting on the kit again is a feeling like no other.“Last summer I wanted a new challenge. I wanted to go out of my comfort zone. I thought it would take me on as a player again, but unfortunately it didn’t work out. This is kind of a second chance, especially with the new gaffer. Hopefully I can get in his good books.”Having left Liverpool last year in the belief that he would get the regular game time that had eluded him under Arne Slot, being cast aside by Villa was a bitter pill to swallow. However, he refuses to regard 2025-26 as a “lost year” and intends to use the experience as fuel as he looks to revive his career.Elliott won the Europa League with Villa in 2025-26 (Stefano Rellandini/AFP via Getty Images)“Mentally, it was very tough training all week and not playing,” he admits. “I don’t wish it upon any other player because it’s not nice at all, but I have no hard feelings. I’m on the other side of it now.“The manager explained things to me and the whole club were very apologetic about the situation. It was just about me handling it and showing my professionalism. I’m not the kind of guy to kick up a fuss and cause problems. I couldn’t control what was going on. It was a learning curve.“I was able to get through it and achieve something historic at the end of the season. I wouldn’t say it was a lost year because at the end of it I won the Europa League and that’s on my CV. I wish Villa all the very best. I have a lot of love for them. They treated me as one of their own. I respect them highly. But my focus now is on this season at Liverpool. I’m trying to cement my spot in the team or within the squad.”Whether Elliott stays around for the coming season will depend on where he stands in the pecking order under new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola. Pre-season gives him the opportunity to show what he’s capable of and he caught the eye in the opening U.S. tour games against Sunderland and Wrexham.“Andoni and his coaching staff have been great,“ he adds. “There’s been a lot of detail in terms of what they want and what they expect from us as players. It’s still early days but once the majority of the group are back everything will start coming together.“I haven’t shown my 100 per cent yet and I think that will take a little bit of time because of the fact that I didn’t play much last season.“I’m not sure yet what’s going to happen (regarding his future). That’s a conversation for me to have more in detail with the gaffer. When the time is right, I’ll go and ask.“I’m just giving my all and trying to impress. Going forward, I need to be more kind of cautious with my decisions. I have to do what’s right for me, whether that’s staying here and fighting for my place, or whether that’s potentially going elsewhere.“But I’m really happy to be back. Since the first day I walked through the door at the AXA I’ve had a big beaming smile on my face. Putting the shirt on, I don’t want to take these moments for granted because last season I thought I’d done it for the last time. Playing at Liverpool, there’s no better feeling.”