Why Aston Villa signing Danny Drinkwater on loan is a great move
According to Sky Sports, Aston Villa have signed Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater on loan in the ongoing January transfer window.
After a season-ending injury to Wesley Moraes, Aston Villa needed reinforcements this month to stave off relegation from the Premier League.
Drinkwater has had a difficult two-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge and struggled to make an impact at Burnley, playing less than an hour in the Premier League since joining last summer.
An injured ankle meant he missed several weeks of football in September after being attacked by a gang of men while drunk outside a Manchester nightclub (h/t The Sun). Smith was in dire need of strengthening his midfield options following McGinn’s injury.
He secured promotion for Villa in May 2019 after three seasons without Premier League football. Last summer, the club splashed out on 12 new signings, bringing about comparisons with Fulham’s own busy summer ahead of relegation from the top-flight last season.
With 21 games played so far this campaign, they lie in 17th place in the table, just above the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Drinkwater’s career has nosedived since he won a Premier League title with Leicester in 2016. Chelsea acquired his services a year later but he’s struggled to establish himself in west London.
Drinkwater, 29, was contracted to Burnley until January 6th and the club sent him back to Chelsea instead of extending it until the end of the season. And now, Chelsea have allowed him to leave on loan for the second half of the 2019/20 term.
The loss of John McGinn due to an injury for three months has been a major blow for Aston Villa, leaving a massive hole in the midfield at a crucial stage of the season. Drinkwater did prove his qualities as a Premier League midfielder in the season where he played a major role in helping Leicester win the title.
Verdict
Villa successfully signing Drinkwater is a great deal indeed, since he has the experience of being in a relegation battle before. Thus, he is capable of improving a Villa side that is struggling to put together consistent performances.
