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Reports: Aston Villa close to acquiring Chelsea FC midfielder Charlie Colkett

By Josh Tonti

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Charlie Colkett of Swindon Town in action during the Sky Bet League One match between Northampton Town and Swindon Town at Sixfields on February 14, 2017 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Charlie Colkett of Swindon Town in action during the Sky Bet League One match between Northampton Town and Swindon Town at Sixfields on February 14, 2017 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea FC midfielder Charlie Colkett, currently on-loan at League One Shrewsbury Town, is close to joining Aston Villa.

Chelsea’s Charlie Colkett is the newest name linked to Aston Villa as Dean Smith looks to stamp his mark on the team. Colkett, 22, an England youth international from U16 to U20 levels is currently at Shrewsbury Town, but has not featured much.

On the season, Colkett has 6 appearances spread across 4 competitions, his last coming in early December, a 90-minute appearance in the Johnstones Paint Trophy vs. Walsall.

On the outside this appears a curious move for Villa. Why another midfielder, especially one on-loan who can’t get much match time one level below? But when you peel back the layers it begins to make more sense. Dean Smith wants *his* type of central midfielder, where he almost always uses three of them on any given game. The current midfield depth at the club has long-term question marks.

Glenn Whelan and Mile Jedinak are free agents in the summer; neither are returning. Moreover, there is always a chance Jack Grealish is sold in the summer in order to comply with Financial Fair Play. If I had to guess, I don’t think Birkir Bjarnason will be around next season either. Henri Lansbury has dealt with numerous injury problems throughout his career in the claret and blue.

It makes sense – Villa can’t rely only on John McGinn and Conor Hourihane for 46 matches.

In the short-term it will be interesting to see how Dean Smith rotates now 7 loanees (a maximum of 5 can be in the matchday squad). Axel Tuanzebe is out another month or so, while André Moreira is 4th-choice goalkeeper with Ørjan Nyland out for the remainder of the season. If/when Colkett signs one of: he, Abraham, El Ghazi, Bolasie, or Hause will have to sit when Tuanzebe returns.

With injuries ever a problem this may not end up being an issue.

Colkett’s contract expires in the summer so Villa are getting him on an initial loan with a permanent move in the summer. If he ends up contributing to the first-team in any capacity this looks like an incredible value deal.

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