Aston Villa transfer news as Unai Emery gives Kerr Smith perfect chance with loan switch
Aston Villa have had an excellent start to the season both in the Premier League and the Europa Conference League, exceeding almost all supporters’ expectations for the campaign.
The only issue with that good form has been the importance of almost every fixture, which has allowed little opportunity for Unai Emery to blood the young talent coming through the Villa Park system into the first team.
However, Emery and the others in charge at Villa Park have found ways to ensure their youth talent’s futures are secure in the Midlands, while also allowing them to gain vital first-team experience whilst out on loan.
The latest beneficiary of this system is young defender Kerr Smith who has signed a new contract with Aston Villa and will now join Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone until the end of the 2023/24 campaign [Birmingham Live, 1 January].
Kerr, described by Birmingham Live as a “highly-rated” 19-year-old centre-back joined the ranks at Villa in 2022 from Dundee United where he had come through the Scottish side’s youth system, even making 12 appearances for the first team before the switch.
St Johnstone have had an incredibly tough start to the season and currently sit 10th in the Scottish Premiership, only seven points of bottom side Livingston, a far cry from the high-flying league position of Aston Villa this season.
However, the switch to the struggling Premiership side could be the perfect move for Kerr’s development as he looks to find his way into Aston Villa’s senior side in the next couple of years, as he will have plenty of defending to do.
In 20 matches this season, St Johnstone have conceded 27 goals and only managed to score 13 themselves. If Kerr is able to step into the Saints’ backline and make a difference, it will be a good indicator to Emery whether he has what it takes to make it in the Premier League.
Kerr’s football this season has primarily come in the Premier League 2, where he has made eight appearances, the last six of which were starts.
Emery doesn’t yet need his services in the first team, but this switch will help ensure that should he be required in the future, he will be better prepared to make the step up.
In other Aston Villa news, Martin Keown has waxed lyrical about Ollie Watkins labelling him a “nightmare” after his performance against Burnley