Unai Emery could tap into the talents in Aston Villa’s youth teams this year with the first-team set for a busy season.
Aston Villa‘s qualification for the Champions League brings with it an increase in the intensity of their schedule, with Unai Emery knowing he is going to have to manage his squad expertly to be able to compete on all fronts.
With the focus being on rapid progress, Emery has not integrated too many of Villa’s academy players into the senior side in his almost two years in charge at Villa Park but that looks set to change.
Emery signed a new long-term contract last season and has already handed Premier League appearances to 18-year-old Kosta Nedeljkovic and 20-year-old Bodymoor Heath gem Lamare Bogarde showing he now has one eye firmly on the future.
This will be good news for Villa’s young talents who may well have been concerned as they saw Omari Kellyman, Tim Iroegbunam and Cameron Archer all sold this summer to balance the books after threatening to break into the first-team.
One player who will be hoping to catch the eye this season is 19-year-old striker Kobei Moore, with the striker developing nicely in the Villa youth teams.
Why Kobei Moore could be next Aston Villa gem to earn Unai Emery chance
Jacob Ramsey is the only Villa academy product who is really established in the first-team under Emery, with Jack Grealish the jewel in the Bodymoor Heath crown.
Both players will be used as inspiration for any aspiring Villans and The Athletic have revealed why Moore could follow in their footsteps.
According to The Athletic: “Forward Kobei Moore, 19, has taken observers by surprise”.
Son of former Villa academy product Stefan Moore, The Athletic go on to explain that Kobei – who has been at Villa since he was nine – has “opposition scouts remarking on the striking duo of himself and Rory Wilson.”
The Athletic describe Moore, saying the striker is “6ft 1in (185cm) and still growing, is adept in dropping into a false nine position providing he is alongside two quick wingers, although he has made strides in stretching play with runs in behind.”
They go on to add: “Moore is left-footed and inclined to make runs in the inside right channel, cutting onto his stronger foot.
“The 18-year-old has made concerted efforts to fill into his frame over the summer, spending time in the gym and improving physically to help improve his hold-up play.”
What they say about Aston Villa academy product Kobei Moore
Aston Villa official club website: “Kobei Moore is a centre-forward who has developed into an effective goalscorer with good movement. Moore signed a scholarship with the club in July 2021.
“Moore has impressed Academy coaches with his mentality since joining Villa as an Under-9.”
Kobei Moore player profile
- Full name: Kobei Moore
- Age: 19
- Height: 1.85m (6ft 1in)
- Nationality: English
- Date of birth: 30th November 2004
- Place of birth: Birmingham, England
- Position: Centre-forward
- Club: Aston Villa (England)
Kobei Moore chances of breaking into Aston Villa first-team
The good news for Moore is that Villa are not inundated with options at centre-forward.
Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran are the only natural strikers, whilst Emery likes to play with a second striker which offers another opportunity for Moore to get into the side.
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Archer’s summer sale to Southampton means that Moore will compete directly with Villa under-21 strike partner Rory Wilson to prove to Emery he should be involved in some capacity this season.
The Carabao Cup and FA Cup seem the most likely way for Moore to be handed an opportunity, with Villa’s Champions League exploits perhaps meaning heavy rotation in those competitions.
Moore has scored 11 and assisted three in 30 under-21 games for Villa, which is more than Wilson’s eight goals and two assists in 27 games at the same age group.
If Moore can continue to impress at youth level, he may well just be handed his first-team debut at some stage this season.
