Loanwatch 2025-26

[cdbearsfan]

EFL Final at Wembley tomorrow for Stockport. Seen a fan site claiming that Barry's ban doesn't apply to that game but can't see it anywhere official.

[eamonn]

Bunny Broggio slaying the forces of evil (Rangers) for Falkirk.

[Dante Lavelli]

Bunny Broggio slaying the forces of evil (Rangers) for Falkirk.

Decent scoring record up there. What position, and Is he highly rated?

[Percy McCarthy]

^^ He plays on the right-wing, cutting in on his stronger (left) foot as is the way now, he’s scored four goals and is highly-rated (AFAIK) at Villa.

[eamonn]

Sadly, Falkirk have collapsed.

[cdbearsfan]

EFL Final at Wembley tomorrow for Stockport. Seen a fan site claiming that Barry's ban doesn't apply to that game but can't see it anywhere official.

On the bench.

[Mister E]

Broggio, Burrowes, Rowe (Triston), McGrath and KY: in theory, we're well served on our right side for next season, which should mean offloading Bailey and sending Sancho back to the RedMancs.
Now need to assess, Hemmings, Borland, O'Reilly and JJA for MF options and Routh, Mosquera, Oczan and RJ Carroll in defence.

That should reduce the average age of the squad!

[eamonn]

How many of them are ready to play first team football for the tenth best team in Europe though?

[Smithy]

How many of them are ready to play first team football for the tenth best team in Europe though?

That's the crux of it. 

To play in our first team you need to be seriously good, or have serious potential.  If we can get 1 or 2 out of that group into our first team squad over the next couple of years, we'll have done incredibly well.  1 per year is way above average.

More realistically (and very unfortunately), none of them will likely become first-team regulars for us, and instead they'll be sold, where four or five sales will pay for a first-team player. 

That's not to say these players aren't talented, or won't have good careers even in the top flight - but this is the Aston Villa of 2026. Unai's Aston Villa. Regular European competitors, Aston Villa.  So you can be a decent enough Premier League player and STILL not be good enough for us.  Which is a huge shame, and I say this as someone who absolutely loves the prospect of a youth player making it into our side and doing well.

[paul_e]

They don't need to be. They need to be able to step in, whilst surrounded by players who are, and do a job for a few games with 6-7/10 performances. Even if they don't make it as regulars, if we can get 20-30 performances out of a few of them over the next few years then that's great and gives us the chance to rest players and deal with injuries a little better without having the bloat the squad with 2 internationals in every position. I'd love it if we could do the latter but without a big bump in revenue the wages offered by the teams above us or the option to be a star player somewhere a little lower (with the wages to match) is hard to match.

Finding the next Grealish is hard but finding the next Bogarde is what we need.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

They don't need to be. They need to be able to step in, whilst surrounded by players who are, and do a job for a few games..

Indeed, we had this discussion a few months back but maybe it needs repeating, we can only judge the youngsters in the first team when they are slotted in not 'oh let's play the kids in the League Cup early rounds'. Bogarde was given his chance and overall been a great success. Found his feet and nobody now questions him coming off the bench or even starting a game or two. Conor Gallagher could have done the same but would have cost us £35m plus £7m in agent fees and that's before we start talking about the ridiculous wages we'd have to pay.

There's no hiding the fact we have to address the wages paid at the club and the only real way is to bring through the talent from the Academy. It's a shame Bailey got sent back from Roma (even though it was a rare case of them covering his wages until the end of the season), I'd have loved to have seen Kadan Young given more minutes this season. With Sanchos injuries/illnesses Young may have started a few games too.

[Dante Lavelli]

^^^ completely agree.  One of the blessings of the Europa/Conference league is you have 10-15 games where you can test [Bogarde].  That luxury disappears in the CL, so you’re left having to throw them into the less forgiving environment of the PL

[Chris Smith]

^^^ completely agree.  One of the blessings of the Europa/Conference league is you have 10-15 games where you can test [Bogarde].  That luxury disappears in the CL, so you’re left having to throw them into the less forgiving environment of the PL

Or you play them in whatever the League Cup is called these days and people go mad for not taking it seriously enough.

[Mister E]

They don't need to be. They need to be able to step in, whilst surrounded by players who are, and do a job for a few games with 6-7/10 performances. Even if they don't make it as regulars, if we can get 20-30 performances out of a few of them over the next few years then that's great and gives us the chance to rest players and deal with injuries a little better without having the bloat the squad with 2 internationals in every position. I'd love it if we could do the latter but without a big bump in revenue the wages offered by the teams above us or the option to be a star player somewhere a little lower (with the wages to match) is hard to match.

Finding the next Grealish is hard but finding the next Bogarde is what we need.

Exactly. Arsenal playing a16 yr old, Liverpool and Rio - 2 current examples of youngsters getting game time.