George Hemmings has impressed during Aston Villa's pre-season and could yet force his way into Unai Emery's plans. Dan Bardell looks at why the academy graduate could be viewed as a long-term option in the left 10 role following Jacob Ramsey's departure.
Brian Madjo might have grabbed the headlines with his goals against Walsall, but there was another young Aston Villa player who caught the eye and, listening to Jacob Tanswell on the latest episode of 1874, it sounds as though George Hemmings is giving himself a genuine chance of sticking around Unai Emery's first-team squad this season.
Hemmings quietly enjoyed an impressive start to pre-season and added a goal to his tally against Walsall. While supporters naturally get excited whenever an academy player breaks through, Tanswell suggested Villa's plans for the youngster could depend just as much on what happens in the transfer market over the next month as they do on anything he does on the pitch.
"I think George Hemmings could be used as a left 10 and that's where they see him," Tanswell explained. "Currently they want to keep him. They see him and Burrowes as THE guys in the youth set-up. Everyone else is available to leave."
That's quite a significant endorsement when you consider how ruthless Villa have been with some of their young players in recent years. The club have never been afraid to loan players out or sell them if they don't believe there's a pathway to the first team, so the fact Hemmings has been identified as somebody Emery genuinely wants to assess during pre-season feels important.
It isn't just about potential either. Tanswell pointed to the progress Hemmings has already made over the last few months.
"He's been around it a lot. He's been improving a lot this pre-season, adding goals to his game. You saw that against Walsall. I think him as a left 10 is someone they can really see as a good option."
That probably makes sense because Villa don't have an abundance of natural players for that role now. Hemmings looks comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas, he's got a good eye for goal and, perhaps most importantly under Emery, he seems to understand where he needs to be on the pitch. He's still got plenty to learn, but there are definitely traits there that fit the way Villa want to play.
I wouldn't get too carried away just yet because there's another side to this conversation. As much as Emery clearly wants a closer look, Villa's transfer business could ultimately dictate what happens next.
Tanswell explained that if Villa strengthen further in the attacking positions, Hemmings' opportunities are naturally going to become more limited.
"If they bring players in, I think game time could be limited and therefore he'd definitely look for a Championship move in the final days of the window. But as it stands right now, Emery would like to have a look at him in pre-season and see if he can be part of that squad makeup."
That's probably the sensible approach for everyone involved. There's no point keeping a talented young player around if he's only going to spend the season watching from the bench, and a Championship loan has become an excellent stepping stone for players looking to bridge the gap between academy football and the Premier League.
The encouraging part, though, is that a loan doesn't seem to be the starting point. Villa aren't actively looking to send Hemmings away before giving him an opportunity. Emery wants to assess him properly over the coming weeks and, if he continues to impress, there's every chance he could earn a place in the squad.
It feels like one of those situations that will evolve as the window progresses. If Villa don't bring in another player capable of operating in that left 10 position, Hemmings may well find himself with an unexpected opportunity. If they do strengthen, then a Championship move where he plays every week probably becomes the best outcome for his development.
Either way, he's done exactly what every academy player hopes to do during pre-season. He's given the manager something to think about, and with several weeks of the transfer window still to play out, his Aston Villa future remains very much in his own hands.
Could he end up being the long term Jacob Ramsey replacement?
