Carney Chukwuemeka, Louie Barry, Aaron Ramsey, Tyreik Wright and Lamare Bogarde could all feature for Aston Villa in tonight’s FA Cup meeting with Liverpool after a virus outbreak left Dean Smith and the entire first team forced to self-isolate, and Gregg Evans of The Athletic reported that Jadon Philogene-Bidance may also be included.
The 18-year-old winger was linked with Arsenal and Manchester City back in March 2020, but he is still at Villa and has been in fantastic form in the youth ranks.
Philogene-Bidance has scored nine goals in 15 games for the under-18s, last featuring for them since January 2020 (Transfermarkt). He represented the under-23s as a 17-year-old and boasts five goals and two assists in 17 games at that level (Transfermarkt).
Anwar El Ghazi, Bertrand Traore, Jack Grealish and Trezeguet stand in Philogene-Bidance’s way of getting first team football, but he has caught Dean Smith’s eye this season and has trained with the senior squad previously. This could now be his chance to impress on the big stage.
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The 18-year-old’s long-term Aston Villa future is up in the air, as his contract expires in July and little progress has been made on an extension, but might a taste of first team football tonight convince him to stay beyond the summer of 2021?
Villa may be hoping so as they’re desperate to keep Philogene-Bidance; and if he gets his senior debut tonight and impresses, they will no doubt want to strengthen their hold on him.
