One current Aston Villa showed exactly why Unai Emery signed him after producing an ‘impressive’ display for his country on Monday night.
Aston Villa are blessed but also cursed to have so many talented players who represent their nations on the international stage.
Whilst it shows the level of talent Unai Emery has to select from, there is also a risk that some of his players can pick up injuries while on duty with their country.
Luckily, from the current matches so far, it appears Villa’s players have avoided injuries ahead of Saturday’s clash against Everton and there have also been some standout performances.
Jhon Duran was dubbed as ‘dangerous’ in Colombia’s 1-1 draw against Peru while Lucas Digne impressed for France as they secured a 2-0 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.
Duran and Digne were also joined by two other Villa players who starred for England under-21s on Monday night.
Samuel Iling-Junior was ‘impressive’ as England under-21s beat Austria 4-1
Samuel Iling-Junior and Morgan Rogers were the stars of the show for England under-21s as they secured a 4-1 win over Austria in a friendly.
Carney Chukwuemeka and Cole Palmer praised Rogers for his role in that win after scoring a brace while Iling-Junior was also showered with positivity.
The 20-year-old was bought from Juventus this summer in a double deal that saw Douglas Luiz go in the other direction.
Many Villa fans questioned why the winger was captured, especially following his loan to Serie A side Bologna however, he’s since proven why Emery signed him after an ‘impressive’ display for England’s under-21s.
In his fifth appearance for the age group, he was a joy to watch with his pace and trickery, while also showing the defensive side of his game.
As per Sofascore, Iling-Junior completed three dribbles successfully, recorded a 91% pass completion, won six of his seven ground duels (86%) and won two tackles.
For supporters watching the youngster in action, they will have seen glimpses of the talent he can bring to Emery’s Villa side in the future.
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Iling-Junior’s loan move to Bologna is perfect for his development
Iling-Junior was ultimately loaned out this summer as Emery is spoilt for choice in wide areas. The likes of Leon Bailey, Jaden Philogene, Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey are all ahead of him in the pecking order.
The Chelsea academy graduate can also play as a left-back but with Ian Maatsen and Digne battling for that position, chances were few and far between.
At Bologna, meanwhile, Iling-Junior will presumably get to play in his preferred role; as a winger on the left or right flank.
Further, Bologna qualified for the Champions League in 2023/24, so even though Villa are embarking on a campaign of their own, he isn’t going to miss out on playing against Europe’s elite and this is perfect for his development.
