Unai Emery has superstar emerging from academy who could save Aston Villa millions
Aston Villa have one of the most productive academies in English football right now.
The Villans have had a mixed bag of a pre-season with two wins, two draws and three defeats throughout the summer so far.
There have been a number of standout stars, with Ollie Watkins and Donyell Malen in particular capturing the attention of the B6 faithful.
This duo has been joined by a number of talents who have caught the eye, with Unai Emery potentially having a huge future star on his hands, looking ahead to the new season.
Emery has to back academy talent at Aston Villa
Given that Evann Guessand is the only senior outfield signing at this stage of the window, utilising the academy could prove to be huge in the coming months and years.
There is undoubted quality in the academy ranks at Bodymoor Heath with bundles of untapped potential ready to be utilised.
- Aston Villa won the FA Youth Cup last season by beating Manchester City
- They also beat City in the Under-18 Premier League National final
- A number of the double winners have featured for Villa in pre-season
With the lack of fresh faces from the transfer market, pre-season has posed an excellent opportunity for youngsters to thrive in the first-team setup.
Although the likes of Triston Rowe and Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba have done well, it is another starlet who has taken most of the acclaim from fans.
It is the work of George Hemmings which has made the headlines for the claret and blue outfit after a number of superb summer performances.
Against Marseille, after the Tyrone Mings and Mason Greenwood madness, the 18-year-old was given the chance to come on at Stade Velodrome.
The central midfielder was seen by many as one of Villa’s best players on the day despite facing up against Adrien Rabiot, Angel Gomes and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
His mix of dynamism, close control, aggression and skill could prove to be a stellar asset for the Villans in the upcoming season and for many more to come.
Hemmings could replicate Jack Grealish at Aston Villa
It has been made clear this summer that there is a lack of transfer funds, and there is a need to bring the wage bill down as soon as possible.
Letting go of a senior star like Ross Barkley in order to hand Hemmings more minutes could prove to be a move that benefits Villa in the long term.
With that being said, trusting the teen next campaign may prove to be a wiser move in order to allow him to go out on loan to the EFL.
This method proved to be highly beneficial for Grealish as he joined Notts County in 2013 and had a terrific year in League One before returning to Villa Park to become the most expensive English player ever.
| Stat (League One 2013/14) | Jack Grealish |
| Appearances | 37 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 7 |
If Hemmings could even come close to the success of the 29-year-old, he could either save the B6 club from buying another midfielder for many years or may be sold for a huge fee if he continues his development.
It is certainly an exciting time to be a Villa fan, especially with the raft of star young talent breaking through into the first team.
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