Steven Gerrard still has a raft of young players who can breakthrough at Aston Villa after selling rising star Carney Chukwuemeka to Chelsea, like prolific prospect Cameron Archer.
Aston Villa players aged 21 or under set to breakthrough in 2022/23
Chelsea have completed the signing of England U19 sensation Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa for £20m on a six-year contract. The Blues have moved to secure the emerging talent’s services this summer, having entered the final 12 months of his terms at Villa Park.
- WORLD CUP: ONE PLAYER TO WATCH FROM ALL 32 NATIONS AT QATAR
- WORLD CUP: TOURNAMENT RECORD OF FRANCE ICON ZINEDINE ZIDANE
Steven Gerrard also omitted Chukwuemeka from the Villans’ pre-season squad in Australia this summer after he rejected a new deal. It came after the Young Lions star only started in two of his 12 Premier League appearances last term. He played for a total of 294 minutes.
Aston Villa seldom relied on youth under Gerrard or his predecessor Dean Smith last term for Premier League fixtures. The Birmingham outfit did not feature in the top-50 spots for the youngest average age of a starting line-up in a top-flight match in the 2021/22 season.
Chukwuemeka was the youngest player to feature for Aston Villa during a Premier League game last season, having first appeared at 17. Tim Iroegbunam (18), Cameron Archer (19) and Jaden Philogene-Bidace (19) were the only other teenagers to play top-flight minutes.
Jacob Ramsey was additionally the only non-teenager to turn out in a top-flight game aged 21 or under for Aston Villa last term. He first featured at 20, and the 21-year-old would be a key figure through the season with six goals and an assist from 34 outings, starting in 29.
Cameron Archer headlines 5 U21 Aston Villa players who can breakthrough
Archer now headlines the list of Aston Villa players aged 21 or under entering the 2022/23 Premier League term who can breakthrough under Gerrard. The 20-year-old has so far had minutes in six first-team fixtures for the Villans across all competitions, starting in just two.
Both of the striker’s opening calls came during Carabao Cup ties last season, whilst scoring a hat-trick against Barrow and netting once at Chelsea. He also turned out in three Premier League matches for a total of 24 minutes before he then joined Preston North End on loan.
The Walsall-born frontman proved a hit in the Championship with seven goals in 20 games and an assist. He also started in 18 fixtures, to attract interest from teams like Rangers, per 90min, and Norwich City, per TEAMtalk, this summer, but Archer will stay with Aston Villa.
Gerrard will now afford Archer a true first-team breakthrough in the Premier League as an option alongside Aston Villa’s proven attacking players, Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings. He saw what the striker can offer during pre-season, too, with two goals in four appearances.
Tim Iroegbunam to build on 2021/22 minutes with full Aston Villa breakthrough
Iroegbunam will also expect to now build on his senior minutes from last season by making a full first-team breakthrough at Aston Villa. The 19-year-old registered his first set of first-team minutes during last term with 91 from three appearances in Premier League fixtures.
Gerrard also started the central midfielder in a top-flight game with an opening call against Norwich in April. Iroegbunam only made his senior debut in February, while featuring in 23 first-team matchday teams across all competitions but was left an unused substitute in 20.
Several clubs have explored loan transfers for the teenager this summer, with Birmingham Live recently citing Sheffield United and Stoke City as frontrunners. But Gerrard is inclined to keep the rising star at Villa Park, until at least the January sales, after a solid pre-season.
Tommi O’Reilly one to watch at Villa Park as senior debut awaits teen
Tommi O’Reilly is a player to watch at Villa Park this term as the Aston Villa academy talent awaits his senior breakthrough. The 18-year-old is yet to feature in any senior fixtures, but Gerrard did name the attacking midfielder on the bench for four Premier League matches.
He also enjoyed an opportunity to catch Gerrard’s attention in pre-season with minutes in their meeting with Walsall. O’Reilly earned his chance to shine after excelling with intricate play at youth level last term, having stepped up above his age range as his potential rises.
Gerrard is unlikely to hand O’Reilly starting calls or frequent Premier League minutes in the immediate future. But he will learn a lot from being around the Villans’ senior fold and can turn out in Carabao Cup matches. A loan transfer come January could also be on the cards.
Kaine Kesler ready to shine after season out on loan last term
Kaine Kesler is ready to shine in the claret-and-blue jersey this season after the Aston Villa academy product spent last term out on loan. Swindon Town initially hired the 19-year-old last summer, before the right-back switched League Two life for League One and MK Dons.
The England U20 international offered one goal and two assists over 21 games for Swindon across all competitions. He also started in 19 games before joining MK Dons in the January market and adding 17 further first-team appearances, starting 15, plus a goal and an assist.
Kesler’s efforts helped guide MK Dons into the third-tier play-offs, but could not overcome Wycombe Wanderers in the semi-finals. Yet the Birmingham-born prospect is now ready to breakthrough at Villa Park and offer Gerrard an option to replace Matty Cash in cup ties.
Aaron Ramsey another player ready to breakthrough at Aston Villa
Aaron Ramsey is another player aged 21 or under entering the new Premier League season ready to breakthrough at Aston Villa. The 19-year-old enjoyed his first-team bow last term in the Carabao Cup against Barrow with a 27 minute cameo away to the League Two outfit.
It would prove to be his only first-team game in claret-and-blue before joining Cheltenham Town on loan in January. Ramsey would go on to feature 15 times for the League One side, starting nine, while offering one goal and one assist on route to finishing the term in 15th.
Ramsey will now hope to follow in the footsteps of his elder brother, Jacob, and become a first-team presence at Villa Park. Jacob Ramsey spent time on loan with Doncaster Rovers during the second-half of the 2019/20 campaign before enjoying his Villans breakthrough.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
