The Villans are apparently planning to break a record in order to welcome the teenager…
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have had a mixed start to the Premier League season as he aims to emulate last season’s Europa Conference League finish, and possibly more.
The Villans got out to a bad start, losing 5-1 to Newcastle United, before finding their feet with wins over Burnley and Everton, before being exposed by Liverpool in a 3-0 setback.
The Midlands club had a successful summer window, bringing in Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, but have struggled for consistency as Emery strives to refine his system while allowing for mistakes along the way.
With the club’s immediate future guaranteed, Villa have apparently switched their emphasis to long-term growth, leading to the signing of one particular teenage wonder.
What is the most recent Aston Villa transfer rumor?
With the transfer window being closed, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Aston Villa and their owners NSWE were finished with new arrivals. However, Emery and co. are still able to welcome young players and have apparently agreed to a record-breaking agreement.
According to Football Insider, Villa have agreed to recruit Port Vale teenager Freddie Lawrie for a record fee for a schoolboy player. The U15s academy starlet drew interest from a number of Premier League clubs, but he now appears poised to join Villa Park after the club leapfrogged the competition.
Lawrie appears to be the second high-profile player to leave Port Vale’s academy this summer, following in the footsteps of Michael Mills, who joined Newcastle United.
Of course, the adolescent is unlikely to feature in Emery’s first-team plans anytime soon, but Villa Park will be hoping that he continues to improve before realizing his potential and potentially making the move up to the first squad.
Who exactly is Freddie Lawrie?
Lawrie, who played as a center midfielder, dazzled many and piqued the interest of several Premier League clubs. He is set to join Villa’s academy and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jacob Ramsey, who is already a regular in Emery’s side.
It is a tribute to the Villa Park setup that they have been able to fend off any interest from other clubs in signing the kid this summer. It emphasizes their progress off the field and demonstrates how they are now contending for European berths.
Given that Lawrie has previously played U15s football, if he makes his Aston Villa debut this season, it will definitely be a moment to remember in the club’s history.
To obtain that chance so soon, he’d have to impress at a level never seen before, with his focus likely on getting off to a solid start for the academy rather than playing a surprise role in Emery’s squad anytime soon.
Lawrie will be under pressure to succeed, though, because his reported record-breaking fee for a teenage player comes with inherently high expectations. If the midfielder can reach his full potential, Villa may have a fantastic player on their hands in the future.
