Talented Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka may have played his last game for the club as Steven Gerrard seems ready to put his faith in a different starlet.
The latest indications are that the 18-year-old will not sign a new contract with the Villans and so it looks as though his future will be elsewhere.
Perhaps preparing for that inevitability, Gerrard has given Tim Iroegbunam a chance to impress of late. And so, TIF has decided to take a look at what it could mean for the two players.
Chukwuemeka contract conudrum
According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the youngster could leave this summer when he contract expires. The whole thing feels like a bit of a catch-22: Chukwuemeka isn’t happy because he isn’t playing and so wants to leave, but Gerrard won’t play him until the player commits to a new contract.
As a result though, as Romano explains, clubs in Germany are already planning to take advantage of the situation.
In full he wrote on Twitter: “Carney Chukwuemeka could leave Aston Villa in the summer. His recent lack of game time has put a host of European clubs on alert – with Germany a likely destination as he enters the final year of his contract.
Will Carney Chukwuemeka be at Villa next season?
Yes
No
Iroegbunam handed chance
And while Chukwuemeka’s future remain in a kind of purgatory, Iroegbunam has seized his opportunity. Indeed, he was handed his first ever Premier League start in the 2-0 win over Norwich this weekend.
In fact, he has played three times since Chukwuemeka was last seen on the field of play, while a fresh Instagram post from the club’s official account also recently shared a picture of the youngster, with the promising caption: “The first of many Premier League starts.”
Playing 73 minutes in that game, Iroegbunam impressed too. Indeed, according to SofaScore he got a 7.0 match rating, winning three tackles, one Aerial dual, and making two interceptions.
Both players are still only 18 and so their future’s could end up taking any kind of direction. For now and until the end of the season though, it seems as if Gerrard is going to place Iroegbunam higher up in the pecking order – with Chukwuemeka still playing contract rebel.
With that in mind, there is every chance the highly-sought after youngster is sold in the summer. And so, Chukwuemeka may well have played his final game in an Aston Villa shirt.
In other news: 29 y/o Villa ace future in doubt as Gerrard urged to sign ‘outstanding’ talent – opinion