Lewis Dobbin sends message at Aston Villa as summer departure confirmed
Lewis Dobbin has had a torrid time since surprisingly joining Aston Villa last summer.
The 22-year-old completed a bizarre switch to Villa Park from Everton as part of a PSR move to help aid the Villans against potential punishment.
This saw Tim Iroegbunam move the other way in a move that has arguably benefited the midfielder’s career in senior football.
On the flip side, Dobbin has been shipped out on two loan deals and looks unlikely to earn a first-team chance under Unai Emery, especially after his latest social media reaction.
Aston Villa flop Dobbin reacts as exit news confirmed
The Englishman never really seemed to be the sort of signing that the Spanish head coach would have wanted to make in B6.
This was mirrored by someone like Samuel Iling-Junior, who was also moved on, on loan, before making a single competitive appearance in claret and blue.
While the ex-Juventus man moved to Champions League side Bologna, Dobbin was forced out to West Brom and then Norwich City.
It is fair to say that neither move worked out for the Everton academy graduate as he made less than 30 appearances in total throughout the season.
| Stat | Lewis Dobbin |
| West Brom appearances | 18 |
| West Brom goals | 0 |
| Norwich City appearances | 11 |
| Norwich City goal Involvements | 2 |
With a return to Villa Park now on the cards at the end of his temporary deal, it does appear that a departure in the summer is likely.
A move has already been confirmed for former teammate Abdoulaye Doucoure, who will leave Everton at the end of his contract at Goodison.
The Mali international took to Instagram (20 May) to confirm his summer exit from Goodison as Villa man Dobbin replied with a blue heart emoji.
Dobbin sale would benefit all parties at Aston Villa
The signing of the English forward was never going to work out in B6 and was yet another PSR deal that could have a damming impact on a young player’s career.
This has proven to be the case with Omari Kellyman, who was shipped out to Chelsea despite being one of the brightest prospects at Villa Park.
This ultimately saw Ian Maatsen move to the Midlands in a deal which has certainly benefitted Emery’s side more than the Londoners.
This certainly hasn’t been the case for Dobbin, who failed to showcase his talents in the Championship and is unlikely to get the chance to do so for Villa.
As a result, a sale in the summer could prove to be the ideal move for Villa as they look to avoid financial punishment, while Dobbin looks to rebuild his young career.