Aston Villa’s Australian Preseason Squad List Insights

Over the next few days Steven Gerrard’s team take part in the Queensland Champions Cup against Leeds United and Brisbane Roar, before heading across to Perth, to complete their preseason trip Down Under by playing Manchester United.

With the squad list finally published for the Australian trip, there’s a few conclusions that can be made in terms of the futures of certain Aston Villa players.

In his recent in-house interview with the club, Steven Gerrard revealed that Anwar El Ghazi had stayed behind, as he is expecting to become a father for the first time. Meanwhile, Kortney Hause missed out because he had just undergone surgery on a knee-related issue.

Wesley Exodus

Interestingly, there was no mention of Wesley. While other players have been given a fresh chance to impress Gerrard in Australia, it certainly looks to be game over for Wesley from a Villa point of view.

The Brazilian striker has failed to impress on his recent loan spells at his previous club Brugges and Brazilian club Internacional.

Despite being only 25-years-old, Villa’s former record signing (£22m) is facing to an uphill battle to turn his career around, which took a detour after the severe cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered against Burnley on January 1st 2020, sidelined him for over a year.

With talk of his year-long loan out in Brazil potentially being terminated, Villa are allegedly currently trying to sort him out a loan move to a European club (reported to be Spanish) to see out the final year of his Villa contract.

Carney Hardball

If Wesley can be considered in the 2022 version of the Bomb Squad, so can Carney Chukwuemeka, who still hasn’t signed the new contract presented to him at the back end of last year.

While, according to the press, fancy club names are supposedly interested in his services, can Chukwuemeka really be expecting to get significant first team game time at either Barcelona, Dortmund, Manchester United and Arsenal, anytime soon?

It certainly sounds like his agent trying to leverage the press to get their client a better deal.

Gerrard clearly isn’t impressed and is now playing hardball.

“Carney’s yet to sign a contract offer that has been in place for some time now,” said Gerrard, in Australia. “So, I’ve decided the best thing for him is to continue his training back at Bodymoor.”

With one season of his contract left, expect this situation to be done and dusted in the next few weeks.

Second Chance Freddie

If anybody can benefit from Villa’s preseason trip to Australia, it’s Frederic Guilbert. As well as giving Gerrard a chance to finally see him close-up, he’ll get a chance to integrate back into the squad, after his recent loan spells away.

Certainly Guilbert’s style may fit what Gerrard is looking for in a back-up to Cash, with Guilbert possessing both speed and a willingness to get forward.

Like the recently signed, Ludwig Augustinsson on the left-hand side, Guilbert is the kind of dynamic full-back that suits Gerrard’s system. So, if Gerrard deems his levels to be good enough, then he could be part of Villa’s match squad this season.

Davis 4th Striker?

If there’s one element missing in Villa’s striking department, it’s the option of a big man or more physical presence to call upon.

Plagued by injuries over the last few seasons, Keinan Davis’s career momentum has suffered. His loan out to Nottingham Forest for the second half of last season though, was a big confidence booster for the striker. Can Davis use that to kick on and be a player for Villa, next season?

There’s a chance he could be a useful squad player, if he develops a more predatory or nasty streak.

If Villa get another striker in or decide against Davis being a match day squad member, then the club are more than likely to seek to secure him a permanent move away, rather than loan him out again.

Villa’s full Australian preseason tour squad list is below…

Aston Villa Australian Preseason Tour Squad List

Goalkeepers

Emiliano Martínez, Robin Olsen, Oliwier Zych, Filip Marschall.

Defenders

Ashley Young, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa, Calum Chambers, Diego Carlos, Matty Cash, Frederic Guilbert, Ludwig Augustinsson, Josh Feeney, Kaine Kesler Hayden, Ben Chrisene.

Midfielders

Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, Emiliano Buendía, Leon Bailey, Marvelous Nakamba, Morgan Sanson, Bertrand Traoré, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Tim Iroegbunam, Aaron Ramsey.

Forwards

Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings, Keinan Davis, Cameron Archer.

MOMS Podcast Preview of Australian Preseason Tour