Aston Villa’s days have changed since they hired Unai Emery as their new manager. The Spanish manager used to manage Arsenal earlier and has not taken the position of villa boss. He has recently been praised for his outstanding performance with Ashton Villa. Ever since he entered the club, he has proven to be a mastermind. His presence has made sure that world-class players like Emi Martinez don’t leave the club. At the end of the 2023 campaign, he promised the fans something special for the next season. Aston Villa will be playing in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over 30 years.
The manager has changed the dimension of the club and is looking to bring in some more changes. With the transfer window recently opening up, Villa have looked to sign Chelsea left-back Iam Maatsen. He even feathered in the UCL final against Madrid for Borussia Dortmund. However, Emery has now decided to keep an eye on the future of the club. He has his eyes set on England under-18 captain Lewis Orford. The youngster is currently in his last 12 months with West Ham United. The midfielder has shown a lot of promise and has also possessed leadership qualities.
The youngster has already bagged four goals and two assists for the Hammers. This performance came in the Premier League 2. West Ham is a club that is known for creating young midfielders. Declan Rice and Frank Lampard are just a few examples of names created by them.
Aston Villa already has a good midfield consisting of very balanced players. Douglas Luiz and John McGrinn have constantly contributed to the club from the midfield. Adding the 18-year-old between them will definitely give him a good experience.
Should Lewis Join Aston Villa?
Many would prefer the youngster to go to Ashton Villa. He has been a part of the hammers since he was 5 years old. West Ham even allowed him to collect a winner’s medal when they won the Conference League. The squad was led by Declan Rice back then, winning their first European Trophy.
It will be interesting to see what the youngster decides. If he goes to Ashton Villa, he will get the experience of Champions League football. He has not gotten any playing time in the main squad at West Ham this season. A manager like Emery would be ideal to develop such a young talent. Having many experienced players around him will also add to his game.
Lewis made his official debut for West Ham in November 2022, where he was on the bench as a substitute. That same year, he won the FA Youth Cup at the Emirates against Arsenal. Despite being only 18, he is part of the West Ham U-21 Squad as well.
His style of play has led people to compare him to Declan Rice and Frank Lampard. It will now be up to the youngster if he wants to stay at West Ham. Shifting to Villa will be a leap of faith for him. He might not get to start every game, but he will gain more experience in bigger competitions. At West Ham, he might get into the starting 11 in a few years if he stays with the club. His loyalty is being tested at a very young age towards the club. He still has 12 months to figure out his future. He is a very promising talent, and having him as the future of the club will benefit any club.
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