​Harvey Elliott has wasted enough time. Last season went nowhere, first at Liverpool, then on loan at Aston Villa, where the move solved nothing. He made nine appearances for Unai Emery’s side, did not establish himself, and Villa declined to make it permanent. For a 23-year-old who should be pushing forward, it was a bad year by any measure.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNow the situation has changed. Andoni Iraola is Liverpool head coach, and unlike the regime Elliott has just come through, he sounds ready to deal in clarity rather than avoidance. That matters, because players in Elliott’s position do not need noise, they need a pathway.Asked whether Elliott can be part of Liverpool’s plans for 2026-27, Iraola gave the sort of answer the player probably wanted to hear months ago. “Definitely! Harvey is here with us. I have seen him with the eagerness to show up and get super ready, He’ll have a chance in pre-season. We’ll need him and it’s a good sign. I hope we can see him in a good place.”There was more, and it was equally direct. “I think Harvey comes from last season being difficult for him. [It was a] strange situation. They couldn’t even play him and I think he uses this experience – the bad situation – to make himself even more eager to be a Liverpool player.”That is not sentiment. It is a practical message. Iraola sees a player back in the building, available, motivated, and worth assessing properly. After what Elliott has just been through, that counts for plenty.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLiverpool’s pre-season in the United States now looks important for Elliott. Some senior names will return later after international commitments, and that opens minutes. For fringe players, or players who need to reintroduce themselves, this is the window. Elliott has to treat it that way.He does not need sympathy. He needs output, intensity and consistency. Iraola’s teams tend to demand energy, pressing discipline and quick decisions. Elliott has technical quality and personality on the ball. The question is whether he can translate that into a role that fits what this Liverpool side will become under a new head coach.There is no guarantee of anything beyond the chance itself. That is the point. The door is open, not unlocked.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLast season left him in limbo. He was a Liverpool player sent elsewhere for opportunities, then barely used. It was a poor outcome for everyone involved. Yet football turns quickly when a coach arrives with a different eye and a different set of priorities.Elliott has talent. Nobody disputes that. What he has lacked is momentum and trust. Iraola’s early comments suggest he is prepared to provide the second part, at least to the extent that Elliott earns it.Photo: IMAGOThat makes this one of the more interesting subplots of Liverpool’s summer. A player who looked headed for the margins has a route back into relevance. He has heard the rig