Premier League Aston Villa will reportedly snap up Steve Hopcroft, after he resigned from Championship title-chasers West Brom.
Aston Villa are set to hand Steve Hopcroft a big role behind the scenes at Villa Park, according to Birmingham Mail, a month after the respected talentspotter resigned from his position at near neighbours West Bromwich Albion.
For the second time a matter of months, it seems that one Midland giant is set to raid another for a crucial member of their staff.
Villa snapped up West Brom’s former academy manager Mark Harrison in 2019 and, according to reports, his former colleague and confidante Hopcroft is now set to follow in his footsteps.
Hopcroft worked as the head of academy recruitment at the Hawthorns until very recently and it seems that he will now bring his eye for talent to Villa Park.
West Brom might not get the credit afforded to the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and co but they do have one of the finest youth systems in English football. Hopcroft, according to The Mail, is credited with unearthing the likes of Kemar Roofe, Rakeem Harper, Izzy Brown, Saido Berahino and Kyle Edwards (below).
He was also key to the rapid rise of teenage wonderkid Louie Barry who also followed Harrison to Aston Villa via a brief spell at Barcelona.
Interestingly, Villa have an array of talented youngsters on their books right now with Barry (below), alongside Jacob Ramsey, Viljami Sinisalo and co, tipped for a bright future in claret and blue.
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