Harvey Elliott offered key transfer advice after loan club hand him five-game deadline

Elliott scored in Valencia's Copa del Rey win but faces a five-game deadline to prove his worth before the winter break, with the club considering ending his loan in January if he fails to make an impact.

Harvey Elliott netted a free-kick in Valencia's 6-0 Copa del Rey victory over UE Tavernes de la Valldigna on Tuesday, his first goal since joining the Spanish club on loan from Liverpool. The 23-year-old England youth international has struggled for consistency at Valencia, making just seven appearances and receiving a red card in a La Liga defeat to Villarreal last month.

According to reports in Spain, Valencia have given Elliott five games before the winter break to prove he can help them avoid relegation. Due to his high wages, the club will attempt to terminate his loan in January if he fails to make a significant impact.

Elliott's situation has been complicated by his time at Aston Villa, where he made just 13 Premier League minutes after Unai Emery publicly stated the club had no interest in signing him permanently from Liverpool.

European football expert Andy Brassell told talkSPORT that Elliott should approach the situation as if he is staying at Valencia, noting that the player possesses genuine quality but has lacked consistent playing time. Brassell suggested that while Valencia's relegation battle is unfamiliar territory for Elliott, the club would be making a mistake to abandon a player of his calibre, particularly given they could not have attracted such talent under normal circumstances.