Aston Villa’s surprising 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League and the thrilling 3-2 Premier League comeback against Everton have been highlights of the season.
Morgan Rogers has been a standout performer this season. He’s presently a key figure in Unai Emery’s squad. After leaving Middlesbrough for Villa in the winter, Rogers faced pressure to prove himself in the Premier League, having trained in Manchester City’s youth academy.
Rogers has scored one goal and provided two assists in the Premier League so far. His two assists came in a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he created three big chances. In the recent 0-0 draw with Manchester United, Rogers nearly brought the game to life with two shots on target.
Bertrand Traore had a mixed experience during his time with Aston Villa under Unai Emery. After an impressive debut season, where he scored seven goals and provided six assists in the Premier League, his role began to fade. This decline was partly due to frequent injuries that kept him sidelined.
There’s a former Villa man outperforming the £15m signing in his new surroundings this campaign, who the West Midlands outfit allowed to leave for nothing.
Now, the former Chelsea youth player is thriving in the Netherlands with Ajax, having scored three goals and delivered four assists in 12 games, surpassing Morgan Rogers’ three contributions overall.
It’s a familiar environment for Traore, who played for Ajax before joining Villa, but his return to form is still notable for the 29-year-old winger. Especially after his struggles in the later stages of his Villa career.
Traore showed flashes of brilliance at Villa, with former manager Dean Smith even calling him “marvellous,” but his exit from the West Midlands came without much fanfare. While Emery and his team may regret letting him go, the coach is likely satisfied with his current squad, hoping Rogers will continue to improve once football resumes.
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