Does Hutton’s imminent exit suggest Aston Villa have plans for Suliman?

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Championship giants Aston Villa have reportedly decided against offering right-back Alan Hutton a new contract.

Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton was ‘shocked and disappointed’ to learn that he would not be handed a new contract beyond the end of this season, according to the Mirror.

The long-serving right-back will be a free agent in the summer and, with Villa needing to make cut-backs to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions, it appears they have sacrificed the Scotland international.

Although it is interesting to note that Villa are confident with their future right-back options, as reported by the Mirror.

And news that Hutton will be let go could be seen as a sign that highly-rated youngster Easah Suliman will finally get his chance to stake a claim in the first-team next season.

The 20-year-old academy graduate has only made one appearance in Villa’s first-team so far, coming in August’s EFL Cup win against Wigan Athletic. But Suliman is one of the most highly-rated talents in Villa’s prosperous youth ranks and has been tipped to follow Callum O’Hare, Andre Green and co into the senior squad eventually.

Suliman – who scored in the final as England’s under-19s won the European championships last summer – will spend the rest of the current campaign on loan at League Two Grimsby Town. And Villa boss Steve Bruce will surely be keeping a close eye on his progress, with a gap set to open up on the right side of Villa’s defence.

Even with Hutton going, Suliman will have to compete with Ahmed Elmohamady and James Bree in the coming years. But 2018/19 could be the making of this Birmingham-born talent.