Aston Villa had the most difficult situation of any Premier League club going into the transfer window, as they were the side closest to a PSR breach. After losing to Manchester United on the last day of the season and missing out on Champions League football, they didn’t have the financial means to go out and spend as much as they would have liked.
The ramifications of this have been felt in the league this season, as Unai Emery’s side have struggled in their opening games and were the last team to open their scoring account.
For teams with such financial restrictions, the best way to cope is by investing in and developing youth. In recent years, Villa have produced academy products such as Jacob Ramsey and signed the likes of Morgan Rogers.
And Emery is now looking to add to the Villans’ youth system by recruiting from the academy of a club that they have worked with in the past.
New signing marks beginning of relationship with Toure club
Aston Villa have completed a deal with Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas for their youngster, Mohamed Koné.
Koné is described as “a highly-rated midfielder who has attracted plenty of admirers”. Villa had first-hand experience with the youngster prior to finalising the deal, as he “spent a number of weeks at Bodymoor Heath before joining the club officially in the summer”. He has already been playing with the Aston Villa Under-21s in recent weeks, even scoring against Peterborough United.
The ASEC Mimosas academy has yielded success in the past, having developed talents like Yaya and Kolo Touré, along with several other Ivorian stars who have made it to the ‘big five’ European leagues. The Touré brothers are their most notable graduates and are players who have found success at the highest levels of English and European football.
Intriguingly, Aston Villa describe the move as a “symbol of the close relationship between Aston Villa and ASEC” and also reveal that this will be “the start of a productive relationship”, clearly trusting the African side’s capabilities in producing a funnel of talent to supplement their academy and first team with fresh prospects.
Villa's poor form could be an opportunity for Kone
Normally, a 17-year-old would have a long wait before breaking into the first team. However, Villa’s poor start to the season may make Emery gamble on him. Ramsey left the club in the summer to join Newcastle United, and Rogers’ inability to find form this season has been a major contributing factor to the club languishing in a relegation battle.
This may open the door for Koné or other youngsters to break into the first team if Emery can’t turn things around with the senior pros and his job security comes into question.
