Aston Villa make transfer decisions involving a group of academy stars
Aston Villa are expected to announce the exit of nine Under-23 players this summer, with others still having 12 months to impress.
Academy manager Mark Harrison and Under-23 manager Mark Delaney sat down with the head coach Dean smith, sports director Johan Lange and general manager Christian Purslow last month to iron out the future of Villa’s talented young generation.
“The Academy players, in general, will report to Mark (Harrison),” Smith explained last month. “I’m going to sit down with Mark H and Mark Delaney about the Under 23 players and discuss the players and their performances.
“We have a technical board meeting on March 16. We have some very talented young people. One of the perks of a really tough year with the pandemic has been getting the young boys to train with us.”
Three weeks later, key decisions were made regarding Villa’s young guns, with the impending release of winger Charlie Farr seen as a real shock to his teammates.
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Farr, 19, was impressive against Wolves last week after replacing Wesley in the first period. The right-winger has scored two goals in nine Premier League 2 appearances this season, five of which have been starts. However, his performance last week could prompt a rethinking of his future.
Elsewhere, forward Michael Tait (20), midfielders Harrison Sohna (18) and Lewis Brunt (20) are also expected to leave, as are Villa’s 23 most senior Jake Walker (20), Jack Clarke (22) , Ben Guy (20)), Brad Burton (19) and left-back Callum Rowe (21).
Clarke, Guy and Rowe are currently on loan at Chesterfield, Portadown (Northern Ireland) and Hereford respectively.
As for those who stay at Bodymoor Heath, they include Tyreik Wright, Cameron Archer, Dominic Revan and Mungo Bridge. Wright and Archer excelled at Walsall and Solihull Moors on loan with Revan enjoying his time at Weymouth before returning this summer.
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As for Bridge, he is looking to return to form after injury with Delaney and Villa academy staff, a big fan of the 20-year-old who played for the first team in friendlies against Arsenal.
Forward DJ Campton-Sturridge, meanwhile, will have another year to prove his credentials after suffering a serious knee injury against Sunderland in October.
Under-23 goalkeepers Akos Onodi (above) and Viljami Sinisalo also remain for next season with chief goalkeeper Neil Cutler, an admirer of the two internationals.
Villa, meanwhile, will continue to focus on developing their brightest talents, including Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Carney Chukwuemeka, Aaron Ramsey, Myles Sohna, Seb Revan, Kaine Kesler and Louie Barry.
The exciting U18 harvest of Lamare Bogarde, Filip Marschall, Ben Chrisene, Arjan Raikhy and Brad Young will continue to develop, moving up to U23 again next season.
As reported last week, Villa announced the appointment of Mile Jedinak as the new loan development coach with the Australian, 36, who has set to work with the youngsters from Villa who have loaned themselves out to play the “ men’s football ”.
Adam Henshall, meanwhile, came in from Doncaster Rovers as Villa’s new Emerging Talent and Loan Manager, with a mission to select the best English talent to support Villa’s Under-18s and Under-23s. .