In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League defender Alan Hutton has urged Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis to go out on loan in search of more game time this summer. Hutton said,
“I see enough quality to see him staying.
“The only question mark for me was if he can stay fit. Can he play for a prolonged period of time?
“I’ve seen him up close and personal and I know he has all the attributes to be a top player.
“It’s a conversation that he’ll have to have with the manager, if it’s going to be five minute appearances, that’s no good for him.
“At his age, he needs to be playing football. If he won’t get the game time at Villa next season he has to go out on loan.
“He needs to show everyone what he’s capable of, whether that be in the Championship or wherever.
“He’ll come back a better player and if he isn’t in the plans then, it’s possibly time to move on.”
Davis’ Lack Of Game Time At Villa Park This Season
Davis has endured a frustrating season with the West Midlands club as he has failed to earn regular playing minutes under the stewardship of Dean Smith and has often found himself behind Ollie Watkins, who has been Villa’s primary centre-forward option thus far. The Stevenage-born sensation has netted two goals and secured two assists in 15 matches for the Villans this term in all competitions.
The 23-year-old has made all of his league appearances as a substitute, which explains why he is averaging 0.7 shots, 0.3 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in this Premier League campaign. However, he needs to take care of the ball a bit better when distributing the ball in the final third after making 76.1% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Does Keinan Davis Have A Long-Term Future At Villa Park?
Davis is a moderately paced forward who can use his strength and power to outmuscle the opposition and win a few headers for his side. Standing at 1.89m, he is a perfect target man when his teammates are playing long balls in behind the opponent’s backline.
However, the English marksman has struggled to be productive with his performances this season which is why it seems logical for Smith to listen to Hutton’s advice by sending him out on loan at the end of this campaign. Davis needs a regular run of games if he intends to take his game to another level, so a loan move could be ideal for the Villans as it will allow the player to come back as a better version of himself next year.
At 23, the Villans star still has plenty of time to turn his career around for the better in the coming seasons. Thus, Davis could still have a bright future at Villa Park in the long run or at least for the duration of his current contract which runs out in the summer of 2024.
