Former Aston Villa ace Gabby Agbonlahor has named two academy prospects at the club who he predicts will become first team regulars.
Dean Smith’s Villa side have started the season in promising fashion, winning their first four league games and thrashing Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor has now predicted that the future could be even brighter, identifying academy stars Louie Barry and Kahrel Reddin as two future first teamers at Villa Park. The two 17-year-olds have been impressing for Villa’s under-18s and under-23s of late.
“I’ve heard about Louie Barry, there’s another one, his name’s Kahrel Reddin,” Agbonlahor said.
“But I think they need to play more games in the under-18s, under-23s, get their experience before they come into the first team because the squad that Aston Villa have got, it’s going to be really tough for them to break through.
“Sometimes loans can help. We’ve seen Jack [Grealish] go on loan when he was 17,18 to Notts County, I went on loan when I was 18 to Sheffield Wednesday.
“Sometimes, get yourself out on loan and go and play with the men.
“Under-23s football’s good but there’s nothing better than playing real football and real competitive football and that’s what these players need to do.”
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Barry is certainly a player who already caught the eye, having spent time with West Bromwich Albion and La Liga giants Barcelona at youth level.
Agbonlahor would likely love to see some young players come through the academy to become first team stalwarts, especially after doing so himself. He rightly cites current club captain and England star Grealish, who indeed had a loan spell at Notts County in 2014 as a teenager, as the perfect example to follow.
While those two players are proof positive that talents can emerge from the club’s academy to leave a lasting impression at senior level, Agbonlahor is right to plead patience with Barry and Reddin, who will be blooded into the first team fold when the time is right.
