Aston Villa exit mooted for Rory Wilson amid Fabrizio Romano contract update
Rory Wilson could still have his head “turned” by interested clubs despite an Aston Villa contract update emerging, according to Dan Bardell.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted on 24 March that Villa have offered the Scotland U-21 international a new five-year deal following his impressive form for the club’s youth sides since arriving from Rangers in 2022.
He added that the 18-year-old is being monitored by a number of clubs and the Villans would only be entitled to cross-border training compensation worth €270,000 (£231,000) if the forward were to leave Villa Park when his contract expires in 2025.
Bardell believes Unai Emery’s side need to create a better pathway for young players such as Wilson to progress into the first team in the future.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “He’s done really well and scored a lot of nice goals. He seems to be a natural goalscorer, with a lot of range in his finishing.
“He’s maybe not ready for first-team football yet, but if Villa can get him secured, they could maybe loan him out to the Championship or League One. He looks to me like someone who would score goals.
“Villa did well to get him in from Rangers because he’s really highly rated and has scored goals at every level that he’s played at.
“It would be a good thing if Villa could get him tied up to a new deal because I think with his record and, after what he did at Rangers, there will be clubs that sniff around him. There may also be ones that, if they offer him a better pathway, his head could be turned.
“Villa have brought in a lot of young players since they returned to the Premier League. We haven’t really seen a lot of them come through.
“Obviously, they won the Youth Cup in 2021, but no player from there has really gone on and made it in the Villa first team.
“I think Villa need to prove to some of these players that there is a pathway there because, at the moment, you probably can’t see it.”
Could Rory Wilson leave Aston Villa?
It would be a blow for Villa if Wilson were to leave the club as they clearly see him as a promising player for the future after offering him a new five-year deal.
They will be desperate to ensure he doesn’t end up leaving for such a small fee next summer after he’s scored 33 goals in 43 appearances for their youth sides.
As Bardell points out, it’s perhaps time for the club to start creating a better pathway for their youth players to progress into the first team to ensure their brightest talents remain at Villa Park.
In other Aston Villa news, a journalist has raged at the “unfair” criticism he’s seen aimed at a Villa star.
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