Aston Villa Opinion: Why the Villans should go all out for Scott McKenna?

Last summer, the BBC claimed that Aston Villa had a bid rejected for Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna.

Scott McKenna, 22, is regarded as one of the highly-rated young defenders in Scottish football. He enjoyed a strong season with Aberdeen, helping the club to a fourth-placed finish in the Scottish Premiership table.

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes will be keen to keep hold of the Scottish defender after the departure of seven players. However, Aston Villa must reignite their interest and sign Scott McKenna this summer.

The Villans have already made a couple of signings this summer as Dean Smith looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign. Smith will have his own idea about who he wants Aston Villa to sign. One such area he needs to target is the defence.

Since releasing Tommy Elphick, the newly-promoted Premier League side have only the injury-prone James Chester in their defensive ranks. Axel Tuanzebe, Kortney Hause and Tyrone Mings have all returned back to their parent clubs following the expiry of their loans, although Smith is trying his level best to sign Mings permanently from Bournemouth.

Nevertheless, Villa’s need for a central defender remains paramount and they must go for Scott McKenna. He has put in some stellar performances for Aberdeen this past season, and his versatility to play at left-back or in central midfield would make him such a valuable asset for the Villans.

The Scotsman impressive overall qualities as he is strong and robust in his challenges, whether in the air or on the ground. He can anticipate dangers, and he is a committed defender who will always be willing to throw his body down the line to make crucial blocks and interceptions. Strong, powerful and physically imposing defender, McKenna is very composed on the ball and can initiate attacks from the back.

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The 22-year-old has impressive strength and aerial ability which should allow him to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League. McKenna lacks pace and agility, but he makes it up with his game reading abilities and maturity on the ball. All in all, he can definitely be a proper alternative for Mings if Villa fails to land the defender on a permanent basis.

Verdict

McKenna is one of the best prospects to emerge from Scotland in recent times and he has the potential to become of the best defenders in Europe in a few of years’ time. But he needs the right manager to take his game to the next level and Dean Smith could indeed be that man.