Hutton: ‘I really feel for Aston Villa’ amid Chukwuemeka quit reveal
Alan Hutton has admitted he feels sorry for Aston Villa as Carney Chukwuemeka looks to quit this summer.
The former Villa ace, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 17-year-old needed to be patient to get his chance in the senior side.
As revealed by Football Insider, the midfield wonderkid wants out of Villa Park this summer after a number of broken promises.
It is understood Bayern Munich are leading the hunt for the teenager, with Liverpool and Manchester City in hot pursuit.
Villa have moved to allay Chukwuemeka’s frustrations by promoting him to first-team training and into the matchday squad.
Hutton admitted it would be difficult for the young midfielder to be patient at Villa Park.
However, he insisted the club could not fast track him into the senior side just to avoid losing him to a rival.
“It’s a really difficult one, isn’t it?” Hutton told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge.
“You obviously want to bring the young boys through and he’s been brilliant for Villa. They want to bring him through but it’s all about timing.
“You can’t just rush someone into the first team just because a bigger team’s looking at him. There’s obviously a process to this.
“On the flip side to that, it’s difficult for a young boy when he sees Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, these guys going to Germany and really flourishing. Getting the game time that they maybe think they deserve at this moment in time. It can be difficult.
“I really feel for Aston Villa at the moment. They’re building something, not just first team but in the youth ranks also. They want to keep their best players but it’s always going to be difficult when these big boys come calling.
“We’ll have to wait and see but I truly hope he does stay because I can see a future for them Aston Villa. It’s going to be very difficult if you’ve got these big German teams that are going to come knocking.”
While he is yet to make his senior bow, Chukwuemeka has been on the substitutes’ bench twice this season.
He is a versatile midfielder who has played in a defensive, central and attacking role for the under-23s this term.
In other news, Aston Villa have set sights on re-signing a second former star as they learn asking price.