Tammy Abraham’s Villa Return
At the weekend, Tammy Abraham got his first dose of VAR in a Villa shirt, a circumstance he didn’t have to endure when he was one of the defining figures of the club’s 2018/19 promotion season. While he unfortunately got his goal against Brentford wiped off by VAR this time, it is hoped there will be plenty more goals to come from a player that has returned to Villa as a far more seasoned and accomplished forward.
Abraham’s original spell at Villa Park may have lasted only a year, but its imprint has never faded. Loaned in from Chelsea during the Championship campaign, he finished with 26 goals in 40 appearances, becoming the focal point of Villa’s promotion push. His four-goal haul in a remarkable 5–5 draw with Nottingham Forest remains one of the more extraordinary individual striking performances of Villa’s modern era, while his successful penalty in the play-off semi-final shoot-out against West Bromwich Albion proved pivotal in keeping the promotion dream alive.
“I want to win trophies, so we have to push for every competition we’re in”
His final game in that period ended with victory over Derby County at Wembley, and with Abraham departing having played a central role in restoring Villa’s Premier League status.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Abraham admitted to Villa TV, following his return to the club.
“Since this first time I arrived here, I fell in love with the club. Ever since I left this club, I’ve pretty much watched every game, so I’ve been keeping track.
“We had an amazing season (in 2018/19), amazing outcome, and I always told myself (that) if I had to come back to England, Villa would be one of the special teams to come back to.
“I spoke it into existence, so I’m happy to be here. So many great memories, and I’m here now to create even more.”
Abraham’s Life After Villa
So, what actually happened to Abraham after Villa? Does he have what it takes to contribute to help sustain Villa as a Top Four team in the league?
Returning to Chelsea for the 2019/20 season, after his stint at Villa, Abraham entered a squad in transition and initially thrived. Playing alongside Ross Barkley, who was then a squad option rather than a central figure, Abraham produced the most prolific English top tier league season of his career. He scored 15 goals in 34 Premier League appearances, while also adding three goals in eight Champions League matches before Chelsea were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the last 16.
Increased competition the following season reduced his league impact. He scored six goals in 22 Premier League appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, but still reached double figures across all competitions. Four FA Cup goals and a strike in five Champions League appearances contributed to Chelsea’s eventual European triumph, although Abraham did not make the matchday squad for the final in Porto (he was one the bench in the semi-final against Real Madrid).
Seeking regular football, the striker moved to AS Roma, where his career initially reignited. Under José Mourinho, Abraham delivered 17 goals in 37 Serie A appearances in his first season, while also scoring nine times in 14 matches as Roma lifted the inaugural Europa Conference League. Chelsea, had hedged their bets realising Abraham’s potential, when they inserted a £68 million buy-back clause.
However, momentum stalled. Abraham struggled for consistency the following season, managing only eight goals in 38 appearances, before an anterior cruciate ligament injury effectively wiped out his 2023/24 campaign. The injury marked a turning point, interrupting rhythm and placing his career on a more uncertain footing.
Loan spells at AC Milan and Beşiktaş followed, bringing mixed returns rather than a full reset. In this January window, Beşiktaş then confirmed they had triggered their option to sign Abraham permanently for €13 million, effectively to enable them to flip him 24 hours later to Villa for a fee reported to be in the region of £18 million.
The Beşiktaş fanbase had taken to him, which was a good sign, and likewise, on MOMS’ recent Europa League trip to Istanbul, the player seemed to be front and centre of the club’s merchandising promotion.
Abraham acknowledged in his recent club interview how time away has shaped him.
“I think those are the pros about going away, learning different cultures and experiences,” reflected Abraham. “I feel like I left here as a boy and I’m definitely coming back as a man.
“I’d like to bring my experience to help the team as much as possible and achieve something with this club.”
Rejoining the squad has been made easier by familiarity.
“I’ve played against most of the boys here, and I know a few of them also, so they’ve helped me settle in quickly.”
Good Value
For Villa, this is not a simple nostalgia signing. At 28, Abraham returns at an age where experienced centre-forwards are in short supply and premium prices are the norm. Compared to the potential £48m package that Crystal Palace paid Wolves for Jorgen Strand Larsen or the £30m they were asking AC Milan for Jean-Philippe Mateta (who Villa were also linked to), Villa will see the £18m for Abraham as good value in the current market. Although the make-weight of 19-year-old Turkish defender Yasin Ozcan going in the opposite direction to clinch the deal may alter their thinking if he blossoms.
Post his stint at Villa, while Abraham’s career has been uneven, shaped by competition, tactical shifts, and injury, it has delivered goals in the Premier League, Serie A, and European competitions, alongside a continental trophy.
“Right now, the world’s our oyster,” Abraham concluded. “We’ve got a good team, a good squad. I don’t think it’s out of reach to say we can push for every competition we’re in.
“I’m here and I want to win. I want to win trophies, so we have to push for every competition we’re in. I’m excited, I just can’t wait.”
Villa once borrowed a young striker chasing opportunity. They have re-signed a forward who has seen both sides of elite football, success and setback, and who now returns as a calculated, cost-effective gamble with unfinished business.
UTV
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