Aston Villa Opinion: Why Josh McEachran would be a smart signing for Villa?

According to a report from The Sun, Aston Villa manager Dean Smith wants to reunite with midfielder Josh McEachran, who he worked with at Brentford.

Josh McEachran, 26, is out of contract at Championship club Brentford this summer and is set to become a free agent. That surely adds more value to his name and Aston Villa must definitely swoop in for the midfielder once his contract expires.

The Villans have already started planning for the next season after clinching promotion from the Championship via the play-offs. They have released nine players since they won promotion, including the likes of Mile Jedinak, Alan Hutton, Micah Richards and Glenn Whelan.

That means Smith has a massive summer transfer window ahead of him. He’ll need to be clever as far as the recruitment of players is concerned if the 48-year-old manager wishes to see Villa survive the first season back in the top-flight. The Villans have plenty of areas to be addressed but Smith must first bring in replacements for Jedinak and Hutton.

Jedinak and Hutton—two old horses—have been released which has weakened Smith’s options in the middle of the park. John McGinn, Conor Hourihane and Jack Grealish were heavily involved in Villa’s promotion success, with Birkir Bjarnason being a solid squad player. Squad depth is vital for any team and thus, Smith should bring in Josh McEachran.

McEachran was the biggest and brightest hope of the Chelsea academy once upon a time. However, things didn’t pan out as he had hoped for and the midfielder left the Blues to join Brentford in 2015. At Brentford, he has done really well, although injuries have not allowed him to live up to the potential. He is 26 now and perhaps at the right stage to take the next big step in his career.

Therefore, a move to Aston Villa would be perfect for McEachran. Smith worked with the 26-year-old at Brentford and he will know him inside out. A deep-lying playmaker, McEachran likes to dictate the tempo of the game with his passing and distribution skills. He is extremely composed on the ball and his energy and eye for the killer pass would be a welcome addition to Villa’s midfield.

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Also, the former England youth international’s Premier League experience with Chelsea would come handy for Smith’s Villa.

Verdict

Given that McEachran is a free agent this summer, the midfielder will be a smart signing for Aston Villa. Smith will feel capable of getting the best out of him next season, as he knows where the midfield ace will fit in his playing style.