Young striker Keinan Davis of Aston Villa has missed a major portion of this season due to injuries. (Getty Images)
According to Football Insider (h/t Birmingham Live), Aston Villa have offered striker Keinan Davis a new three-year deal to extend his stay at Villa Park beyond 2021.
The 22-year-old’s existing contract with the Villans runs out at the end of June next year after he agreed on a 12-month extension prior to the restart last season.
Despite his lack of goals, Davis remains highly-rated by Villa boss Dean Smith and his backroom staff. The club are making plans to secure his long-term future. (Football Insider h/t Birmingham Live)
Keinan Davis started his footballing education at Stevenage before joining the youth ranks of non-league outfit Biggleswade Town following his release from his hometown club. The 22-year-old was eventually offered a professional contract by Aston Villa towards the end of 2015 after impressing as a trialist.
The highly-rated striker made his professional debut for the Villans against Tottenham in an FA Cup tie back in January 2017. Davis has since made 67 appearances for the Midlands club in all competitions, registering just 4 goals and 5 assists in the process.
The youngster missed the first half of the previous campaign due to a series of hamstring injuries before returning to action and playing a bit-part role in the Premier League. Davis scored once in 21 appearances across all competitions last term, starting four league fixtures for Dean Smith’s side.
It’s clear from those numbers that Keinan Davis has struggled to make a big impression at Aston Villa. However, let us not forget that the youngster hasn’t always been backed with regular starts. A large chunk of those appearances have come as cameos off the bench.
The 22-year-old showed glimpses of promise last season after being backed by Smith to lead the line in big games against Sheffield United and Chelsea. He visibly lacked enough end product to show for his efforts but there were obvious signs to suggest that Davis might be able to make the grade in the top-flight with a little more polishing.
Having come through the youth ranks in non-league football, Davis needs more time to get to grips with the quality and intensity of the Premier League. It’s a massive step up for any player, especially for someone who only played a handful of games in the Championship.
To put things into perspective, Aston Villa’s decision to offer the young striker a new deal is yet another indication of the fact the Villans have one eye on the future. Davis looks like a real talent with untapped potential and the club could have a gem on their hands if Smith manages to extract the best out of him moving forward.
With Mbwana Samatta failing to make a big impact last season and Wesley Moraes still injured, it will be interesting to see Keinan Davis going head to head with new signing Ollie Watkins for the No.9 role at Aston Villa.
Conversely, tying him down to a new long-term deal would also allow Smith to send him out on loan to a Championship club with a view to enhancing his development. That could also open the door for a future sale should Villa opt to cash in on the talented striker.
Either way, Aston Villa offering the 22-year-old a new deal makes perfect sense for a number of reasons.