Harvey Elliott faces three-week fitness push after difficult Valencia start

Harvey Elliott's attempt to rebuild his career at Valencia has encountered an early problem, with reports in Spain claiming the Liverpool loanee arrived short of the physical condition required to compete regularly.

The 23-year-old moved to Valencia on loan towards the end of the summer transfer window after another difficult spell at Aston Villa last season. However, limited preparation with Liverpool has left him playing catch-up following his arrival in Spain.

Marca reports Elliott arrived above what Valencia consider his optimal playing weight, with the international break now effectively becoming a second pre-season.

Elliott's summer was dominated by uncertainty over his Liverpool future rather than preparations for the new campaign.

According to Marca, the consequences have become evident during his opening weeks in Spain. Elliott has struggled for minutes and was left out against Alavés because the intensity of the match was considered unsuitable given his current physical condition.

The report stresses that Elliott has shown a desire to make an impression, but his fitness has prevented him from producing the level Valencia expected.

That leaves the midfielder with approximately three weeks during the international break to improve his conditioning before competitive football resumes.

Elliott's situation is particularly significant because of the financial commitment Valencia made to secure him.

The Spanish club are reportedly covering almost all of his Premier League-level salary, making Elliott the third-highest earner in their squad despite arriving only on loan.

For a club operating under considerable financial restrictions, that increases the expectation that he will eventually become an important first-team player.

Valencia viewed the move as an opportunity for Elliott to restart after his difficult Aston Villa experience. His immediate priority, however, is considerably simpler: getting himself physically ready to compete regularly.

The next three weeks could therefore prove crucial to getting his loan spell properly underway.

Elliott now has around three weeks to work on his conditioning before Valencia return to competitive action.

Improving his fitness should give him a better opportunity to earn regular minutes and finally establish the momentum that Valencia hoped the loan would provide.