Jan 2 (Reuters) - Aston Villa decided two ‌months ago not to sign Harvey Elliott on a permanent basis, manager Unai Emery said on ‌Friday, a decision which leaves the Liverpool loanee in limbo and unable to play Premier ‌League matches.

The midfielder joined Villa on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy conditional on appearances, but Emery said the club has deliberately avoided selecting Elliott to prevent activating the permanent transfer clause.