Aston Villa are now reportedly "closing in" on a deal to sign a future star for Unai Emery, who has already welcomed four fresh faces in the Midlands so far this summer.
Aston Villa transfer news
Having already signed Ross Barkley, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea and Lewis Dobbin, Aston Villa could yet take their summer business up another level entirely following links to both Ivan Toney and Joao Felix. Of course, any advanced talks to sign Toney must wait until after Sunday, however, with the Brentford forward part of Gareth Southgate's England squad gunning for Euro 2024 glory up against Spain.
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The deal is reportedly progressing quickly…
1 ByTom CunninghamJul 11, 2024
If the Villans do make their move for the England international, then they'll potentially secure the perfect partner for Ollie Watkins, who has become an England hero after scoring a last-gasp winner over Netherlands to send the Three Lions to Berlin on Sunday.
Away from those who could steal the headlines, however, the Villans have reportedly turned their attention towards a future star for Emery this summer.
According to The Secret Scout, Aston Villa are now "closing in" on signing Leon Routh from Luton Town with personal terms agreed and a fee set to be negotiated. The 16-year-old is reportedly "highly rated" and looks set to become the fifth player to arrive at Villa Park this summer, as those in the Midlands set their sights on the future.
Having lost Omari Kellyman to Chelsea, Villa look set to add an academy star of similar calibre in the hope of finding a defensive solution for years to come.
"Highly rated" Routh is one for the future
Still just 16 years old, Routh is unlikely to feature for Emery's first-team anytime soon, but he is certainly one to keep an eye on. If the teenager does complete a move, which looks likely to be the case, it will be interesting to see where he stands regarding Villa's pre-season tour of the United States, with those set of fixtures often an ideal opportunity to assess young players.
Throughout the tour, Villa will square off against the likes of Colombus Crew, RB Leipzig and Liga MX champions Club America in three tough tests. Whether 16-year-old Routh is thrown straight into the deep end of pre-season remains to be seen, however. Instead, Villa fans are more likely to watch new arrivals such as Iling-Junior, Barkley and Barrenechea get their first run outs for the club in preparation for their debut campaigns.
Whilst Routh's arrival will hardly steal the headlines, it could quickly turn into another important deal if he progresses as expected in the Midlands. His development could cap off what has been a superb start to the summer transfer window for all involved at the club.
