Aston Villa profit and sustainability verdict drops after Lino Sousa transfer – Sky Sports journalist
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Aston Villa are realising that signing young players can help with their profit and sustainability situation following the transfer of Lino Sousa from Arsenal, according to Dan Bardell.
Villa announced on their website on Thursday (1 February) that the 19-year-old left-back has joined the club for an undisclosed fee from the Gunners.
They confirmed that the England U-19 international has immediately linked up with Championship side Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the season.
Bardell has been encouraged to see the Lisbon-born defender has gone straight out on loan to the second tier as it shows that he is currently operating at a level above some of the other players in his age group.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “That sounds like it was all pre-agreed. They obviously made the plan that they were going to buy him and then told the player that they planned to send him off to the Championship.
“It’s a good sign that he’s going to that level early that he’s already at that stage of his development and that he’s quite far ahead.
“Villa have sent a lot of players out to lower down over the past few years, so to be getting someone in and sending them straight on loan to the Championship, it shows that the player is operating at a good level for their age group. That’s encouraging and I’m pleased to see it.
“Kesler-Hayden was there, Finn Azaz was there as well on loan. Villa are obviously developing a bit of a relationship with Plymouth, knowing that it’s a safe place to send a young player and they’re going to progress in a way that Villa want them to.
“Villa have kind of singled out Plymouth as a good place to develop players, a little bit like they did with Middlesbrough last season as well, with Archer and Ramsey.
“I think what you’re seeing with Villa picking up these young players in this window is that they’re realising to move forward, even if someone’s not going to make it at Villa, getting players developed in your academy and selling them on really helps with profit and sustainability and I feel like that’s what they might be doing at the moment and why they’re pursuing it so aggressively.”
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