Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott outlines Morgan Rogers rise as key reason for making Aston Villa deadline day switch
The pathway handed to star forward Morgan Rogers played a hand in Harvey Elliott decision to swap Liverpool for Aston Villa on deadline day - according to the Liverpool loanee.
Elliott became one of three deadline day additions at Villa Park - with the late capture of the Liverpool wide man and Manchester United's Jaden Sancho coming after the addition of Victor Lindelof earlier in the day.
The winger, who starred in England under 21's European Championship victory in the summer - arrives at Villa having played more than 140 games for Liverpool.
However, his chances for regular starts at Anfield looked limited with Villa making a deadline day swoop. He has arrived on a season long loan which includes an obligation to buy him next summer for £35m.
Elliott has pointed to wanting to kick on in the next stage of his career and become a key player at Villa Park as one of the factors in the move.
But the progression of his former England youth team mate Rogers and his rise also had a hand in the decision.
He said: "I think for me now, you know, it's just about kicking on as a player.
"I think the only way to do that is to play games and you know what there's no better place to do it than here.
"Especially with the manager, his philosophy, the way he plays, and I think his trust in younger players.
"I was very drawn into it. I had a conversation with him and I was blown away by the way he was towards me.
"There's many other players as well that have progressed and become international stars and Morgan is won one of them.
"You see the way he plays, the confidence that he has within his game and not only that, the personal things he's achieved now, winning young player of the season.
"I think it shows that pathway and for players like myself wanting to achieve them things as well."
It had been a frustrating window for Villa who were bound by PSR regulations as Unai Emery tried to add to his squad.
Elliott and Sancho represented two key additions on deadline day - and Elliott outlined how Emery's attitude towards him throughout the process has made him want to repay the Villa manager's faith.
He said: "He was very welcoming. It was a feeling that I had within myself that I wanted to be here.
"I wanted to play for him, I wanted to give my all for him as a coach and as a person for giving myself trust and belief and allowing me to come here to a massive club when he could have got many players out there in the world.
"I think the only work I can repay him is by working as hard as I can, and, you know, leaving everything out there on a pitch."
