Woody Burgess will be knocking on Unai Emery's door after latest Aston Villa U21 scenes
Woody Burgess may be a household name at Aston Villa in the near future.
The 19-year-old is currently plying his trade with Jimmy Shan's Under-21 side.
He has featured 22 times since stepping up to that level in November 2024, but is yet to make his first-team bow.
George Hemmings and James Wright have broken into the senior squad in recent years, and Burgess could make the step up in due course.
The right-back with English and German heritage may be knocking on Unai Emery's door shortly after his latest academy scenes.
The 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough at Bodymoor Heath on Friday highlights why he could be the next youngster to make an impression on the Spaniard.
How did Woody Burgess perform in Aston Villa U21's draw vs Middlesbrough?
Burgess was immense in the draw with the Teesiders at Villa's training ground on 18 September.
He completed 83 per cent of his passes, and created one chance for his teammates, per Fotmob data.
The Villans starlet recorded 12 passes into the final third, and was successful with the only cross that he attempted.
Defensively, he made the joint-most contributions with 11, as he completed seven clearances, two tackles, one block and one interception.
In terms of duels, he won two of four on the ground and two of three in the air, for success rates of 50 per cent and 67 per cent.
Those numbers are very impressive, and Emery will surely be aware of his display.
Why Burgess may have to wait for his chance
Burgess' competition for the right-back spot in the first team makes the challenge a lot harder for the prospect.
Matty Cash and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are top-quality options, especially with their defensive ability.
However, if one of them gets injured, Emery could call upon Burgess to take up the backup role, so he must be ready to step in.
For now, he must continue his form at the youth level, and wait for the opportunity to be handed out when the time is right.
It may only be a matter of time before he is given his chance and makes his debut for the B6 outfit, if he continues to develop strongly in his current setting.