Unai Emery has had his say on what the future holds for Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer at Aston Villa.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says that both Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer remain in his plans for the upcoming season.
The Villans face a hectic schedule this season. With Europa Conference League football on the horizon, the Midlands outfit have a lot of games to get through. The Spanish coach will also want his side to perform well in the domestic cups, which he will view as realistic chances to land some silverware.
Due to this crowded fixture schedule, having quality squad depth will be more important than ever for Aston Villa. Due to this, there will almost certainly come a time when Archer and Duran need to be counted on.
Time for Duran and Archer to shine
Villa shelled out £18 million for Duran in January. However, the 19-year-old failed to score in his subsequent 12 Premier League appearances for the club. Meanwhile, academy graduate Archer was very much on the fringes of things in the first half of the season.
The 21-year-old joined Middlesbrough on loan in January, and hit form in the Championship. Archer struck 11 times for Boro, before going on to win the under-21 European Championship with England this summer.
Both Archer and Duran need to step up this season and ease the burden on Ollie Watkins. Emery has been clear that the pair will be given the opportunity to do so, saying, “we have to use every player and we need other players as well to help and support us…He’s a player we will need because he is our second striker with Cameron Archer and we have to use both as well and we have to give them chances to help us, but it’s not a possibility for Jhon Duran to go on loan, it’s to stay here,” as quoted by Birmingham Live.
