Kylian Mbappe 2.0 can burst onto scene at same time as new £8m Aston Villa development
Aston Villa are investing millions into improving their youth recruitment and development with the construction of a new inner-city academy that overlooks Villa Park.
The Athletic reported on 16 March that the £8million project is due to be completed in August, just time for the start of the 2023/24 season.
Next season could be a huge one for Villa’s best young players, especially 17-year-old winger Kadan Young.
England youth international Young is one of the most promising teenagers rising through the ranks at Villa Park.
He celebrated his 17th birthday in January by signing a professional contract but by that point, the forward had already made Unai Emery’s squad in the Premier League on a number of occasions, played a number of times in Premier League 2 for the Under-21s and been played against Chelsea’s first team in Dubai in a friendly.
It’s rare that a 16-year-old has that kind of impact on the first-team manager – but Young has done.
Given his rise this season, it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that Young has a bigger senior role at Villa Park next time – and what better way to kick off the start of a new chapter of Villa’s youth than timing that with the opening of the new £8million academy.
Young’s got us really excited.
As quoted by BirminghamLive on 12 December, a former coach of Young compared the Aston Villa sensation to the only and only Kylian Mbappe.
Young’s Bugatti-like acceleration has understandably led to that comparison but there’s more to it than that.
“He joined Villa quite late,” said the unnamed former coach, as quoted by BirminghamLive. “But what a talented boy. He probably won’t mind me saying this but he’s become much more mature now, there’s been a big change with Kadan who’s really grown up over the last couple of years. He’s had to be managed correctly and we’re seeing the benefits of that. He’s your typically inner-city lad, scary talent and a player that would not be fazed at all playing in front of 40,000 at Villa Park – even at 16!
“He’s so quick and an out-and-out winger which you don’t see enough of nowadays. He’s got that Mbappe about him, where he’ll run, slow his man down, wanting the defender to stand still almost, then he’ll put the burners on.
“Honestly, he’s such a good kid. He’s got to keep working, get to 18 or 19 and get a loan. He’s got a long way to go, he’ll know that, but this exposure with the first team will be brilliant for him. He’ll want more of that and that’s a good thing.
“The fans will tell you this as well… Villa love a good winger, don’t they, and Kadan’s one of them players, quick, direct…”
As you can see in the clip below, there’s definitely a Mbappe-style drive to Young’s play.
Marc Cucurella was one of the best full-backs in the Premier League last season and while he’s struggled at Chelsea, he hasn’t struggled as much for the Blues as he did in Dubai against Villa’s Young.
The Brummie youngster toyed with Cucurella while always looking to drive inside, into the box. But he also had the nous to know when that wasn’t on and would backtrack – a mental ability that eludes a lot of young attackers.
Unai Emery has already gifted English football with the emergence of Bukayo Saka at Arsenal.
He also played a major role in Yéremy Pino’s rise at Villarreal.
Now it seems as though Young is his next project and while we admit the Villan will probably never hit the heights of Mbappe, it’s exciting to know that in their ranks, Aston Villa have someone who’s showing the signs the France superstar did at his age.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton has backed a potential game-changing attacking deal for a Premier League attacker.