Alan Hutton has revealed that he is “really impressed” with Aston Villa youngster Keinan Davis, but has also suggested that the striker could do with a loan spell away from Villa Park.
The 21-year-old has played just over 40 minutes of Premier League football so far this term, but Hutton, who played with the starlet during his spell in the midlands, predicts big things to come from him.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “I’m really impressed by him.
“I can’t remember exactly what age he was when he signed but he was raw, don’t get me wrong he was raw, but ‘wow’ was he strong, powerful, and he’s grown into that kind of number 9 role.
“He’s went from being a raw player to calming himself down, holding people off, really understanding the position. He’s learnt a lot from training with us, it wasn’t just a training the odd day – he was training with us always, coming in the squads and stuff.
“I think he probably needs to go out on loan really to keep playing and earn his stripes if you like and get his game time up but I definitely think one for the future, he’s definitely got it all to be a top striker.”
How good can Davis be?
Hutton clearly knows more than most when it comes to Davis’ potential, having played alongside him in training everyday during their shared spell at Aston Villa, so when he says that the youngster has a big future ahead of him, there is no reason to disbelieve him.
Beyond that, however, Davis has shown plenty more than hearsay to suggest that he could be a real danger in the near future.
He may have only played around 40 minutes this season, and was limited to just six substitute appearances last term, but the year before that, Davis managed 28 Championship games – as a teenager, remember – and was very eye-catching.
2.4 shots per 90 minutes, as well as 1.5 key passes and 2.2 successful dribbles, as per Whoscored, not only showed a lively striker, but also a well-rounded creative force who could prove to be a real asset to those around him too.
He is still at such a tender age that it is hard to tell exactly how good he may go on to be, but certainly, the early signs are promising.
Will he get a loan away?
Probably not.
With Scott Hogan out on loan at Stoke City, Villa only have Wesley Moraes and Jonathan Kodjia as senior options up front aside from Davis, and it’s difficult to see Dean Smith willingly going into the second half of a Premier League campaign with just two strikers in his squad.
Davis may not play a lot this year, and it well be that a loan would be the best thing for him, but is he likely to get one before next summer, at least? Almost certainly not.