Elliott’s Valencia playing time limited as fitness claim surfaces

Harvey Elliott has made three substitute appearances totaling 85 minutes since joining Valencia on loan from Liverpool, while a Spanish journalist has criticized the midfielder’s fitness and said he should use the international break to improve his condition. The assessment has not been independently verified, and no direct statement from Valencia is provided. Dario Puig, a journalist for Marca, wrote that Elliott arrived out of shape after an atypical preseason and described him as “well overweight for his physique.” Puig argued that the 23-year-old needs to get fit to contribute to Valencia. The claim and its accompanying description of Elliott’s condition stem from Puig’s assessment, rather than independent measurements cited in the reports. Elliott has not started a league match for Valencia. He came on as a substitute against Barcelona, Sevilla and Real Sociedad, and was an unused substitute in the team’s match against Alaves. The three appearances amounted to 85 minutes in total. The reports do not establish how his playing time may change after the break.