Dean Smith drops hint before Aston Villa return as Steven Gerrard makes Chukwuemeka stance known

Hello and welcome to a round-up of all the latest Aston Villa news and views on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Steven Gerrard's squad are back in at Bodymoor Heath with Dean Smith's Norwich City next up at Villa Park on Saturday, April 30, kick-off 3pm.

For the sixth match running, young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has sat amongst the substitutes at Aston Villa having failed to come off the bench. Instead, Steven Gerrard has turned to fellow 18-year-old Tim Iroegbunam, a player the manager continues to wax lyrical about.

"It's only a matter of time before he becomes a regular in this team," Gerrard said of Iroegbunam while, for Chukwuemeka, it appears his Villa chance has passed him by after contract negotiations continued to break down, first in October and again in January. Gerrard, 41, spoke of his frustration at Chukwuemeka following Villa's 3-0 win at Leeds back in March, outlining how he and the club had "done everything" to convince him to sign a new long-term deal.

understands that Chukwuemeka is keen to leave and wants first-team football. The England under-19 international will sit down with Villa and his representatives in the summer before a final decision - whether he stays or goes - is reached. He'll have less than 12 months remaining on his contract when pre-season begins, while European giants Borussia Dortmund are keeping close tabs on his situation.

More HERE.

Dan Crowley was rated more highly than £100m superstar Jack Grealish during his time in Aston Villa's academy.

The Coventry-born playmaker was poached by Arsenal when he was 16 and was quickly singled out for stardom. Crowley is two years Grealish's junior, but such was his talent he played alongside the now England international whilst coming