Former Aston Villa defender Ludwig Augustinsson has admitted that the sacking of Steven Gerrard was the beginning of the end of his time at the Premier League outfit.
After only three months under the former England international, the Aston Villa loanee was forced to bid a premature farewell to the man who brought him to the Midlands in the first place.
Had Steven Gerrard survived the chop, would Ludwig Augustinsson still be wearing claret-and-blue today? Would Aston Villa have triggered the rumoured £4 million option-to-buy clause in his contract?
All of this is hypothetical, of course. Gerrard’s departure and Unai Emery’s subsequent arrival ensuring that what was supposed to be a season-long stay at Villa Park was cut in half that following January.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery let Augustinsson go
“I worked well with Gerrard at Aston Villa,” Augustinsson now tells Het Nieuwsblad. “He was the man who brought me to England. However, the results were not as hoped, and he did not stay on board at Aston Villa for long.
“Then Unai Emery came with his players and since I was just a loanee, that story also came to an end. I hope to find more stability at Anderlecht.”
As you might have worked out, the experienced Sweden left-back is now plying his trade in Belgium. While still technically a Sevilla player, Augustinsson joined Anderlecht on another loan deal in the summer, and has already made more league appearances for RCSA (five) than he managed at Aston Villa (three).
Alex Moreno still injured
His Villa Park replacement, meanwhile, remains frustratingly unavailable.
Alex Moreno, an immediate fans’ favourite following his £13.3 million move from Real Betis nine months ago, recently suffered a setback to a hamstring injury which continues to keep him on the sidelines (The Athletic).
Moreno’s misery, however, has been Lucas Digne’s fortune. The Frenchman has seized the chance to rebuild his Villa career in Moreno’s absence, with five assists and a goal to show from 12 appearances so far in 2023/24.
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