Aston Villa’s academy is arguably one of the most underrated English footballing academies. The Villans have produced some exceptional players over the course of the Premier League era, including the man who currently holds the record for the most appearances in the competition’s history, Gareth Barry.
Centre-back pair Ciaran Clark and Gary Cahill also came through the academy at Villa Park, although the Republic of Ireland international spent substantially longer at the club than the former Chelsea man. In the modern day, Jacob Ramsey is the man flying the flag.
The most notable Villa academy graduate, however, is surely England international Jack Grealish.
Grealish’s Villa career
Before his record-breaking £100m move to Manchester City in 2021, now 29-year-old attacker Grealish rose to footballing superstardom for his contributions in that famous Claret and Blue shirt.
A boyhood Villa fan, the former club captain played 213 games in both the Championship and the Premier League. He made his debut in 2013/14 but became a prominent first-team player the season after. He left the club with 32 goals and 41 assists to his name.
Grealish had three particularly memorable campaigns for the club he supported from a young age. The first of those three was in 2018/19 when the attacker helped the club win promotion to the Premier League. He helped himself to six goals and six assists in 32 Championship games, as they won the playoff final a year after losing at Wembley.
Then, in the two years that followed, the former Villa number 10 helped his club survive relegation from the top flight.
In 2019/20, the attacker registered 14 goal involvements in 36 games before grabbing 16 goal involvements in just 26 games the season after.
His contributions to the club in those two seasons were invaluable; after surviving the drop, Villa ultimately went from strength to strength and now find themselves in the Champions League. As for Grealish, he made the move to Manchester and ended up a three-time Premier League champion and a treble-winner.
Grealish is the Villans’ biggest sale of all time, although there is someone in the first-team squad who could well match that before long.
Aston Villa’s next big sale
The player in question here is attacker Morgan Rogers. The England U21 international has been a revelation for Unai Emery’s side this season and has two goals and two assists in nine games so far.
The former Man City academy player joined the club from Middlesbrough in February for £8m up front, in a deal that could rise to £16m.
He has started every game in the Premier League and Champions League so far this term and grabbed an assist in his first European outing in matchweek three against Bologna.
Former Villan Tony Cascarino has been very complimentary of the 22-year-old. Speaking on talkSPORT in September, he explained that Rogers has similarities to a certain Bayern Munich star.
“He reminds me a little bit of Jamal Musiala. He’s that guy that picks up the ball and he’ll just make runs and he’ll create problems for others. He’s got a lot about him. Comparing him to Musiala, well that type of player, that’s a really big praise because Musiala’s a real talent. But I do see something in Morgan Rogers where he’s got that ability.”
Like the German, Villa’s number 27 is a dribbling master, able to weave in and out of defenders with ease. He is a powerful carrier over long distances and can cover lots of ground quickly and efficiently.
Indeed, the stats certainly back this theory up. As per FBref, the 22-year-old averages an impressive 3.16 progressive carries per 90 minutes, with the Bayern Munich ace averaging slightly less, with 2.79 each game.
Progressive carries
3.16
2.79
Carries into final third
2.24
2.33
Carries into penalty area
1.05
0.70
Take-ons completed
1.97
3.26
Take-on completion rate
40.5%
50%
Not only is there a similarity in the pair’s playstyle, but there might well soon be a comparison to be made with their transfer value.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
As per Transfermarkt, Germany international Musiala is currently worth £108m and with Tim Sherwood explaining earlier this season that he believes Rogers is now worth a whooping £80m, the attacking midfielder looks like he could be the next mega-money star out of Villa Park.
Sold under Sherwood: Aston Villa's "beast" is now outscoring Messi in MLS
Aston Villa sold a player in 2015 who is now scoring more than Lionel Messi…
ByRoss KilvingtonOct 25, 2024