Josh Edwards

Sat 4 April 2026 19:10, UK

Bradley Burrowes is knocking on the first team door at Aston Villa.

It wasn’t too long ago that Villa were one of the clubs named in the race for the Premier League title, but with a 16-point gap now having emerged, those admittedly ambitious hopes are now over.

Instead, the focus has been on whether the Villans can secure Champions League football for the next campaign, with seven games to be played.

The question for Unai Emery is how to end their horrid run of form in the league, which has seen them win just one of their last five.

But fortunately for him, Burrowes may be the answer to ending it.

Unai Emery can’t ignore Bradley Burrowes any longer

For Burrowes to be playing Under-21 football despite having just turned 18 is a testament to his ability, before even mentioning his goal record this season.

The teenager has nine goals in 10 Premier League 2 appearances, while also having three assists to his name.

However, it isnt just his goals, it’s his underlying numbers that are deserving of far more recognition, with his 54.5 per cent dribble success rate one of them.

With 12 completed dribbles, he ranks among the top 5.9 per cent of forwards in the division, while his goals per 90 ratio also has him among the top 12.7 per cent.

Ollie Watkins is having a season to forget, and Burrowes could well prove to be the next in line to take on the pressure at Villa Park.

How soon could we see Burrowes in the Premier League?

The teenager has already made one appearance for the senior team at Aston Villa, having come on as a late substitute in their 3-0 defeat to Palace back in August.

For him to have had that recognition that early from Emery certainly bodes well for him.

But with goals hard to come by in the league as of late, Emery may have to give him more minutes, with very little else working.

There’s nothing to lose by doing so, but there’s plenty to gain.