Aston Villa are not wasting any time getting business done during the international break, inking one of their more important players to a contract extension and reportedly on the verge of signing another new deal as well.
The club confirmed they have extended Victor Lindelof’s contract to 2028, exercising an option in his original two-year deal to add an extra year. He would have been a free agent after this season, but now the 32-year-old will stick around at Villa Park for at least one more campaign.
Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell reported George Hemmings has reached an agreement in principle to sign a new five-year contract with Villa. An official announcement is expected before the international break is over.
Lindelof has been one of Villa’s biggest recent transfer success stories.
Signed as a free agent at the end of August last year, he served multiple key roles throughout the season, covering at centre-back on both sides and even playing in central midfield down the final stretch of the season, including in the Europa League final, getting the start over Amadou Onana.
Among players with more than one appearance, only Boubacar Kamara had a better points per game among individual Villa players than Lindelof’s 2.29.
This season he has become a full-time starter at centre-back, stepping into Ezri Konsa’s position after he was sold to Arsenal, and has taken to an expanded role extremely well.
Lindelof ranks 2nd on the team in successful passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League with 50.1, just behind Ross Barkley. He is also 2nd in line-breaking passes and clearances, and ranks 3rd in accurate long balls.
He has kept £25m signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis out of the team so far and is fully deserving of his contract extension. Lindelof has become a critical part of Unai Emery’s team both on and off the pitch.
From Villa’s point of view it was smart to insert an option into the original deal, giving them full control and the ability to renew for another year rather than being at the mercy of negotiations with his agent, who may have been pushing for a longer extension and a bigger pay rise etc.
Hemmings was already under contract through 2030 after signing a five-year deal last year, so it would appear this new deal is designed to give him a pay rise to more accurately reflect his status within the team, rather than being necessary to secure his long-term future.
The 19-year-old broke into the senior team last season, making his first start in Villa’s Europa League match against RB Salzburg as a deep-lying midfielder. He had a tough night at Villa Park and was taken off at half-time, but a change of role this summer jump started his career.
Hemmings moved to a more attacking role this season and helped by the fact Villa were lacking wide players, he got plenty of opportunities for playing time early in the season, acquitting himself well as he made his first Premier League and Champions League appearances.
While his minutes have dried up as the likes of Johan Manzambi, Alysson and Ibrahim Mbaye have worked their way into the starting lineup, this new contract makes it clear Hemmings has impressed Emery and is in the manager’s long-term plans.
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