Aston Villa made two signings during the winter window which could define their season.
Bringing in both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on temporary deals until the end of 2024/25 is turning into a masterstroke by manager Unai Emery.
Asensio has already scored seven goals in just 12 matches for Villa, including three in the Champions League. If he maintains this type of form, the club have a great chance of ending their 28-year wait for a major trophy.
Rashford may not have opened his account for the club yet, but four assists and an England re-call prove he is still contributing effectively.
How Marcus Rashford got back in the England squad
When Thomas Tuchel announced his first England squad nearly two weeks ago there were some surprises. Among them was Rashford.
The Villa loanee has caught the eye since moving to the Midlands but hasn’t exactly played regular football. Either way, Tuchel likes what he sees and brought him back into the national set-up. But, why was that?
Well, Rashford’s finest game for Villa came against Chelsea in the Premier League last month and it perhaps gave us an inkling as to why he’s now back on the biggest of stages; the international scene.
Not only did he provide two assists in the eventual 2-1 victory for the club, but the Englishman also attempted four dribbles – succeeding with two – along with making three key passes, creating two big chances and completing 15 of his 16 attempted passes.
It was a joy seeing him perform to his best after struggling during the first half of the season at Manchester United.
The deal, which saw him move to the Midlands on loan, also includes an option to buy for a fee in the region of £40m. If he continues to impress, Emery may well spend the money to keep Rashford permanently.
However, might the club be brewing their homegrown version of the United loanee?
Meet Aston Villa’s homegrown Marcus Rashford
There have been plenty of top young talents to walk through the academy at Villa in recent years, Jack Grealish and Jacob Ramsey chief among them.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
The next superstar off the production line could be Cole Brannigan who has a bright future in the game.
The left-winger made waves throughout the 2023/24 campaign for the club. Not only did he score four goals in 20 games in the U18 Premier League, but he also grabbed three assists in the process.
Brannigan then signed his first professional contract last summer with Academy Manager Mark Harrison heaping praise on the teenager
He said: “We have been really pleased with how Cole has developed over the past 12 months, and this is a great reward for his development. He is a skilful wide attacking player who is creative in the final third.”
|
Cole Brannigan’s statistics this season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Games |
Goals |
|
FA Youth Cup |
4 |
2 |
|
U18 Premier League |
18 |
9 |
|
Premier League 2 |
2 |
0 |
|
UEFA Youth League |
1 |
0 |
|
EFL Trophy |
1 |
0 |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
||
These comments have worked wonders for his confidence this term. The Irishman has played 19 games across several of the Villa youth teams, including U18s, U21s and the Youth League side, scoring 11 goals while registering two assists.
His ability to play across several positions in the final third naturally draws comparisons with Rashford. His eye for goal is also another key similarity.
The 17-year-old might not be in the first-team picture at this moment in time, but surely it won’t be long until Emery begins to take notice of his potential.
Should the £40m prove too expensive to sign Rashford in the summer, Brannigan could well turn out to be the club’s homegrown version of the 27-year-old. That’s a certainty.
Related
Aston Villa’s “world-class” star is already becoming Emery’s new Duran
Aston Villa may have already found their next Duran with this “world-class” ace
