Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has confirmed that the club will sit down and hold talks with Ashley Young over his future at the club after Sunday’s game with Brighton.
Young, 37, will see his current contract expire at the end of June, and so a decision over whether or not he will extend his stay with us will be needed as a priority.
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Having made 32 appearances across all competitions so far this season, he has continued to showcase his importance in the squad both on and off the pitch with his professionalism, versatility and consistency as well as with his leadership and experience.
In turn, as we hope to embark on a return to European football next season by getting the result we need against Brighton on Sunday in our final Premier League game of the campaign, that combination of experience and youth will be key, and Young has shown he isn’t just here to make up the numbers in the squad.
Emery was asked about the Villa stalwart’s future, and he revealed that the plan is to sit down with every player next week to discuss their situation, with Young first in line given the more immediate nature of his expiring contract.
“I spoke with him on Tuesday, I told him we are going to decide after the match on Sunday and we’ll talk with the owners and I will analyse deeply each [player] situation,” he told the media, as per VillaTV. “His contract is finishing and he’s the first player we have to speak with.
“I told him to be first focused on the match on Sunday; we were remembering he played in the Europa League final four years ago for Manchester United against Sevilla. He has a lot of experience in Europe, playing in good matches and in good moments in his career. We have the opportunity now to get there again with Aston Villa. Then we we will decide for every individual circumstances in the squad.”
Young has proven to be a vital part of the group this year, filling in for the likes of Matty Cash and Alex Moreno to show his versatility, while he has adapted and impressed under Emery to meet his demands and adjust to his preferred style of play.
That awareness, tactical astuteness and understanding of the game can be hard to find, and especially as Villa look to compete on multiple fronts next season with domestic cup competitions a priority as well as progressing in the league and potentially Europe, players like Young could prove to be even more important.
The hope is that a new agreement is reached for him to stay with us for at least another year, but time will if it’s deemed right for all concerned.