Unai Emery has worked wonders as Aston Villa manager
Unai Emery has worked wonders as Aston Villa manager
Match

Unai Emery surely keeping close eye on Ben Broggio as Aston Villa footage emerges

Harri Burton
Harri Burton

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior football journalist specialising in refereeing and officiating; former contributor to The Football League Paper, Late Tackle, and the Premier League; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Refereeing controversies, football finance and governance, PGMOL decisions, and officiating analysis across the Premier League, EFL, and SPFL. THE INSIGHT Harri utilises a network of officiating and industry contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis of refereeing decisions and PGMOL policy. He provides the regulatory clarity behind the controversy to ensure fans get the full picture.

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Ben Broggio looks to be the next promising teenager rising through the ranks at Aston Villa, and Unai Emery must be keeping a close eye.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has already made five appearances for the Under-21s side in the Premier League 2, even scoring a brace against Derby County in his first game of the new season.

Villa fans who watched him during the 2023/24 campaign will not be entirely surprised, given he was called up from the Under-18s side last term, but he has now taken his displays to the international stage.

Starting in Villa's UEFA Youth League match against Bologna on Tuesday 22 October, Broggio netted twice alongside Mason Cotcher to claim a 3-1 win at the Bodymoor Heath Training Ground.

The Villans have now secured their first win of the European tournament, previously losing 2-1 and 1-0 to Young Boys and Bayern Munich, respectively, finally putting much-needed points on the board.

Ben Broggio preparing for Aston Villa senior call-up?

While Emery's attacking midfield lineup is filled to the brim with talent, with the likes of Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers and Emi Buendia, the manager has not been afraid to promote youth players.

Lamare Bogarde is a prime example of this, having already started two league matches so far this season, and there is no reason why Broggio could not be put in that same bracket.

Of course, performing in the UEFA Youth League is a far step from the Premier League and Champions League, but Emery could start embedding him into the first team at an early stage.

Despite his age, he has shown calmness on the ball, especially during his second strike against Bologna, and has sent the perfect reminder to Emery about the talent in the squads below him.

In other Aston Villa news, one academy ace has decided on a £10,000-a-week+ five-year contract as the mystery rumbles on at Villa Park.

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Aston Villa
Unai Emery
Ben Broggio
Bologna
www.astonvillanews.co.uk