After Aston Villa announced the upcoming departure of Ashley Young this summer, it’s fair to say that it wasn’t a particularly popular decision.
As per the club’s statement, the 37-year-old will leave when his current contract expires at the end of June, thus ending his second spell with us just days after we secured a return to Europe for next season.
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Young played a pivotal role in that process having made 32 appearances in all competitions last season, and he continued to showcase his importance under Unai Emery after his appointment in November.
The expectation had been that Young would at least get another one-year extension and feature in Europe for us again, but ultimately the two parties will go their separate ways in a few weeks, marking the end of the Villa legend’s time at the club.
Disappointment as Villa lose leader
Considering the negatives first, it’s clear that Villa will lose leadership, professionalism, experience and versatility with Young’s departure, as the stalwart would have been an important presence in the squad both on and off the pitch as a leading example for others to follow.
With a lengthy run in the Europa Conference League an obvious objective for next season on top of progression in the Premier League and making the latter stages of the domestic cups, Villa would have arguably needed Young more than this season as we deal with a hectic schedule.
With his versatility, he has filled in in various roles over the past two years, most notably in the full-back positions, and so he has proven to be a crucial presence in the squad and a reliable figure when needed who has shown his ability to compete at this level still.
Further, given we’re still a relatively young, inexperienced side, particularly in terms of playing in Europe, his leadership would have been key in addition to the tactical astuteness and know-how he has shown in adapting to Emery’s style of play.
In turn, it has to be said that it was a surprise to see us opt against extending his deal for another year as he ticks so many crucial boxes, and so it’s natural that many Villa fans were left disappointed by the news.
Part of bigger Emery, Villa plans for squad strengthening
Ultimately though, this would have been part of a well thought-out plan and strategy for the Villa squad moving forward and how we can improve and significantly strengthen it to become increasingly competitive.
Whether or not we already have clear targets in mind, Villa will surely now be in the market for a right-back or a versatile option that can play on both flanks, and they must now represent an upgrade on Young, be it in immediate talent or perhaps as a long-term solution.
There’s little doubt that this would have been a difficult decision to make, as Emery himself praised Young not long ago for his influence and insisted that his age wasn’t a factor as he has clearly seen he can still contribute.
However, the Villa boss and the hierarchy have made the decision that they feel is best for the club’s long-term future, and so although it’s undoubtedly sad and a questionable decision to see Young move on, his replacement will hopefully soften the blow and ensure it was ultimately a sensible all-round plan to make us better.
