Three Aston Villa academy players who deserve contract extensions at Villa Park this summer
The Aston Villa Bodymoor Heath academy is full of top talents, but keeping hold of these youngsters and developing them into first-team stars is often the most difficult part of the process.
Fifteen players within the academy set-up see their current contracts at Villa Park expire this summer, and although some of these up-and-coming talents will move to pastures greener within the English Football League, several deserve another vote of confidence from the Villa hierarchy.
Below are three players who should be given another shot by Aston Villa and be offered the chance to put pen to paper in a new contract.
Seb Revan
Revan, 19, has been an ever-present in the Aston Villa Under-21s this season and has taken on the responsibility of captain in recent months.
The left-back was due to leave the club on loan last summer, but an ill-timed injury kept him in the West Midlands – which has incidentally aided his development tenfold.
Unai Emery presented Revan with some minutes in the Peter Whittingham memorial game against Cardiff during the World Cup break and took him on the plane to Dubai for the warm-weather training camp.
The Atheltic’s Gregg Evans (15 December) reported that clubs from League One, League Two and the National League were interested in Revan’s services in January, so the club must snap him up on a new contract before such an opportunity presents itself.
Sil Swinkels
Aston Villa teenager Swinkels has been dealt a bitter blow in the last week, with the 19-year-old suffering a torn ACL at Bodymoor Heath, but the club must look to maintain his services beyond this season.
The centre-back has been a shining light of the Under-21s’ campaign and, alongside Josh Feeney, has formed a strong central-defensive partnership.
Swinkels has made eight appearances for the Young Lions this term, with his recent displays earning him a call-up to the senior team last month, where he was an unused substitute for Emery’s side.
Although the pause button has been pressed on the youngster’s burgeoning career, offering a vote of confidence in the Dutch youth international would be a wise move.
Hayden Lindley
After captaining Aston Villa’s youngsters to a Youth Cup triumph against Liverpool back in 2021, Lindley has somewhat struggled to reach his lofty potential.
The midfielder, who made prior first-team experience against the Reds in the FA Cup, has shown great versatility when coming through the ranks of the academy, featuring both as a right-back and centre-back last season.
The Huddersfield-born player’s loan at Newport County this season didn’t go entirely to plan, as he was sent back to Villa Park in January, but Lindley is a talent too promising for the club to let slip through their grasp.
At 20 years old, a contract extension would be a huge sign of faith by Aston Villa, and hopefully, the academy star could rise to his hype and break into the first-team ranks in the future.
In other Aston Villa news, a first-team player is expected to return after the international break with a protective brace after what happened in 2023.