Liverpool ready to bring BACK fan favourite, as manager relationship worsens: report

Liverpool are ready to bring back a former fan favourite, to help reignite their season.

Arne Slot's men lie eighth in the Premier League after 11 games – and Liverpool's title defence lies in tatters after a humbling 3-0 away defeat to Manchester City.

Their £425 million outlay in the summer transfer window hasn't paid off quite the way they hoped, and they may already be willing to bring back someone who only left a few months ago.

Liverpool prepared to bring back fan favourite after disastrous start to the season

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Liverpool broke the British transfer record twice over the summer.

First, they signed Florian Wirtz, who is ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the best attacking midfielders in the world right now, and then on deadline day their pursuit of Alexander Isak, who is ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now.

Eight players left on a permanent deal, with one on loan, in the form of Harvey Elliott. The 22-year-old joined Aston Villa, with an obligation to buy should an appearance clause be met.

However, the player of the tournament at the 2025 under-21 European Championships, has failed to impress manager Unai Emery and has not been named in any of their last three Premier League squads, and failed to come off the bench in their two Europa League matches since the last international break.

And a fresh report from Football Insider, via The Mirror, suggests the Reds may be prepared to bring him back in January.

Former Villa CEO Keith Wyness appeared on Football Insider's The Inside Track podcast, and believes that Liverpool may be prepared to bring him back before the clause to make the deal permanent is met.

“I am surprised because I think he’s a good player, but he hasn’t quite taken the eye of Emery,” Wyness said.

“Now, there’s also a big conspiracy theory going on right now. He’s on loan, and if he gets 10 games, then he triggers the obligation to buy.

“There’s talk that Liverpool want him back as well, so if the loan isn’t confirmed, then he could come back to Liverpool. Perhaps Liverpool are wishing that they had him there right now on the bench while they’ve got issues with all these new expensive signings.

“A lot of the Liverpool fans I’ve been speaking to would have been much happier to have Elliott on the field than some of these other players.”

Elliott played regularly under Jurgen Klopp in his final season at Liverpool, playing 34 times in the Premier League, starting 11 times. However, under Slot, as Liverpool romped to the title he saw his game time decrease significantly. He made just 18 appearances, starting just twice, both after Liverpool had confirmed the title.

In FourFourTwo's view, bringing Elliott back would give Slot some more squad options who already know his methods, and have pre-built connections. Whether he would use Elliott more regularly remains to be seen.

Elliott is valued at €35 million by Transfermarkt. Liverpool are next in action against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after the international break.