Aston Villa has officially announced that Ashley Young will be leaving the club this summer. The club has decided not to extend the 37-year-old’s contract, despite Young expressing his desire to stay at Villa Park. This decision marks the end of Young’s second stint with the Premier League side.
Young’s journey with Aston Villa began when he rejoined the club in 2021, after a successful run with Inter Milan, where he won the Serie A title. His departure from Villa was confirmed in a club statement, which read, “Aston Villa can confirm that Ashley Young will be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract. Everyone at Aston Villa would like to sincerely thank Ashley for his service to the club and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.“
This announcement comes as a surprise, especially after Young’s optimistic statement following Villa’s 2-1 victory over Brighton, which secured their place in next season’s Europa Conference League. Young had expressed his hopes of signing a contract extension with the club. However, it appears that Unai Emery, Villa’s manager, had other plans for the upcoming season.
Before joining Villa in 2007, Young had made over 100 appearances for Watford. His career took a significant turn in 2011 when he signed with Manchester United. During his nine years at Old Trafford, Young won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League. In 2020, he moved to Inter Milan and became the third Englishman to win Italy’s top prize after Jimmy Greaves and Gerry Hitchens in 1963.
Young, who can play as a left back or left wing-back, made 32 appearances last season and has racked up 250 for Villa across his two spells with the club. His versatility and experience will surely be missed by the team and the fans alike.
For more related content, check out these articles on our site:
