Aston Villa tipped to beat Rangers and Tottenham to Chukwuemeka signing after Pleat mission
Alan Hutton has tipped Aston Villa to beat Tottenham and Rangers to the signing of Northampton Town starlet Caleb Chukwuemeka.
The former Holte End favourite, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested having Caleb's younger brother Carney on the books should give Villa the advantage.
As reported by the Daily Mail (July 16th), Villa have had an approach for the 19-year-old striker rebuffed by Northampton.
Rangers, Tottenham and Newcastle are reportedly among the teenage striker's other suitors.
As revealed by Football Insider in April, Spurs are keen after David Pleat, who now works as an adviser to the north Londoners, ran the rule over him.
Chukwuemeka is still on a scholarship deal at Northampton, although talks have been held over professional terms.
Meanwhile, his brother Carney, 17, made his first-team debut for Villa in May.
Hutton suggested having that pre-existing connection to the club could give Dean Smith's men the advantage.
Hutton told Football Insider's Russell Edge: "It would be interesting. You've got the Ramsey brothers (Jacob and Aaron) and then you've got them (Caleb and Carney).
"Obviously it runs in the family. There's a lot of hype about them.
"When you have got a brother or a best friend at a big club, who knows it well, has come through the academy and there is an opportunity for you to go and get involved in that, you can get all the knowledge from your brother.
"What it's like, what the coaches are like, the development plan? Is there a pathway into the first team? Are there opportunities there? You can sound all that out.
"Where do they stay? Where do they live? You know everything about it so I think it's an ideal opportunity. Hopefully, he's just as good or can become better.
"We know where Aston Villa are trying to go with their youth. They're trying to create something there that's going to develop these players for the future. It's looking really bright and they could sign him."