Dan Bardell believes that Aston Villa’s strategy of signing academy players will contribute significantly to the club’s growth, following reports of their move for Luton Town’s young centre-back, Leon Routh.

The Secret Scout reported on July 11 via X that the 16-year-old had agreed on personal terms with Aston Villa, with a transfer fee set to be finalized. This comes after Villa’s earlier dealings with Luton Town, which saw Ross Barkley return to the West Midlands.

Sky Sports and talkSPORT journalist Dan Bardell views the signing of Routh as a positive step for Villa’s academy, likening the approach to Chelsea’s successful youth investment strategy.

Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell stated, “Over the last two or three years, Villa has excelled in investing in young talents from other teams. While none have yet broken into the first team, Villa has managed to flip these players for a profit, much like Chelsea has done for years. It’s crucial for big clubs to have diverse transfer strategies, and that’s clearly what Villa is doing as they aim to establish themselves as a top-tier club.”

He added, “Signing players like Leon Routh is low-risk. He’ll be on low wages, and the transfer fee will be minimal. In a few years, he could either play for the first team or be sold for a profit.”

Aston Villa has already shown success in leveraging their academy for financial gain in the transfer market. This summer, Omari Kellyman moved to Chelsea for £19 million [BBC Sport] after joining Villa from Derby County in 2022. Despite making six first-team appearances last season [FotMob], his departure frustrated some fans.

Routh, who is highly regarded at Luton Town, featured for their Under-18 side last season despite being just 16. Although he may not break into Villa’s first team soon, his signing is seen as a positive investment for the club’s future.