Liverpool have reportedly included a buy-back clause in the deal which took Harvey Elliott to Aston Villa and stand to make a proportion of any profit made by a future sale for the English midfielder.

The boyhood Liverpool fan had trailed his reluctant Anfield exit all summer. After several links to the Bundesliga, Elliott eventually put pen to paper on a Premier League switch to Villa. The 22-year-old has joined on an initial loan which they are legally obliged to make permanent next summer.

The delayed nature of the deal is to ensure that Villa don’t breach any financial regulations although there is a conflict in reporting when it comes to the agreed upon fee. The Athletic claimed that sources at Liverpool quoted a tag of £35 million ($46.8 million) while those at Villa cite a sum closer to £30 million.

Whatever the sum involved, the permanent deal is thought to include a buy-back clause, as revealed by Paul Joyce of The Times. No figure is quoted, but the agreement will also reportedly contain a sell-on clause, entitling Liverpool to a slice of the fee Villa acquire should they sell Elliott in the future.

The U21 European champion penned an emotional farewell message on Instagram in the aftermath of his exit. “When I joined Liverpool in 2019 it was a dream come true for me and my family,” he wrote. “As a young child I travelled the world supporting the team as a fan and words will never be able to explain the feeling I had when I pulled on that famous red shirt for the first time as a player.

“Over the course of the last six years I’ve experienced so much and grown from a young 16-year-old boy into a man during my time at the club. Growing up I could never have imagined that I’d go on to play 150 games for my boyhood team, winning seven major trophies and culminating in being part of the squad to have won the Premier League last season with such a special group.

“Thank you to everybody at the club for welcoming me from the very first day I arrived and for looking after me ever since. Thank you to the board and Jürgen Klopp for helping me live my dream of becoming a Liverpool player. To Arne Slot, all of the coaches and staff who have helped me along the way and of course my teammates. It’s been a privilege to play with you all and I feel lucky to have made so many lifelong friends along the way.

“To the incredible Liverpool fans. Thank you for making me one of your own and for always supporting me through both good and tough times. I’ll always cherish the bond we have together. I will always have Liverpool in my heart.

“It’s now time for a new challenge. I am incredibly ambitious and feel that at this stage of my career it’s important to be in an environment where I’m able to have the opportunity to play and progress as much as possible.”

READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMORS FROM WORLD SOCCER


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Liverpool Include Two Key Clauses in Harvey Elliott Exit.