The latest transfer deadline day news as Aston Villa and Liverpool hold talks over a surprise deal.

Aston Villa are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott in a late deadline day swoop.

Unai Emery is determined to bolster his attacking midfield depth before the window slams shut at 7pm. Elliott, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Liverpool all summer, has re-emerged as an option after being a player of interest earlier in the summer.

The Athletic reports discussions are underway as Villa consider luring Elliott to B6. It’s stated that a loan move is more likely than a permanent. Back in August, RB Leizpig contacted Liverpool to sign Elliott and were quoted £40 million with a buy-back option, or £50 million without one.

It awaits to be seen whether Liverpool would be willing to let Elliott leave on loan. Birmingham World understands that Villa cannot afford to sanction any expensive permanent moves today, unless it’s to replace goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, so the Elliott situation heavily hinges on Liverpool’s stance.

One approach, touted for the Lucas Paqueta swoop before it fell through, is to make a loan-to-buy offer. For Paqueta, Villa were reportedly in advanced talks over a small loan fee and a £47 million buy clause. Similar could theoretically be offered to Liverpool for Elliott, though that’s just an assumption at this stage.

How would Harvey Elliott fit in at Aston Villa?

Capable of playing in central midfield, as a number 10 or on either flank, Elliott could be a very handy addition for Villa. The 22-year-old, who has scored 14 goals in 28 caps for England Under-21, played just 360 minutes in the Premier League last campaign but was has been used off the bench regularly throughout the past three seasons.

Elliott has fallen further down the pecking order at Liverpool following Florian Wirtz’s record arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, so a move away has been on the cards for a while. Villa, in desperate need of depth and quality in midfield and wide areas, could provide the former Fulham man with far more regular minutes.

Emery loves a versatile asset and Elliott is certainly one of those. It could be a tricky deal to complete due to the finances involved, but Elliott could quite easily lock down the right wing spot as the likes of John McGinn and Donyell Malen have looked uncomfortable in that role so far this season. Another option could be to start Elliott in the number 10 role, with Morgan Rogers back out on the right flank.