Former Scotland international Rab Douglas believes a move to Premier League giants Aston Villa was an opportunity Dundee United starlet Kerr Smith could not afford to turn down, speaking to The Courier.
11 months after making his Premiership debut during a 4-1 defeat to Steven Gerrard’s Rangers, one of the brightest young talents in Scottish football is set to become the Englishman’s third new signing in the Aston Villa hotseat.
Villa have already sealed the high-profile arrivals of Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne this month.
And while Smith will not create as many headlines as the former Barcelona duo, the fact that Aston Villa are willing to pay up to £2 million for a 17-year-old with a handful of first-team appearances under his belt speaks volumes about the teenager’s potential.
According to the Record, Villa see Smith as one of the most promising young defenders in the UK.
And though the one-time Celtic, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United target will initially play for the club’s U23 side, Douglas would not be surprised to see Smith make a senior bow in claret-and-blue sooner rather than later.
What role will Kerr Smith have at Aston Villa?
“The move from Dundee United to Aston Villa is one neither he nor (sporting director) Tony Asghar could turn down,” says Douglas, who won a trio of Scottish Premiership titles during his time at Celtic.
“You could make a case for him getting more first-team experience at Tannadice but there are no guarantees a similar opportunity will come round again.
“And, when you look at the money involved, this isn’t a kid going from one academy to another. Smith may well be involved on the fringes of the first-team at Villa quicker than people might think.”
Dundee United manager Tam Courts confirmed on Wednesday that a bid had been ‘accepted’ for Smith. The 17-year-old will undergo a medical in England later this week.
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