Aston Villa confirm three transfer exits as five more to leave in boost for Bradford City and QPR
Aston Villa have confirmed the fates of eight players in line with the Premier League’s deadline for releases and free transfers.
The Villans will definitely say farewell to three youngsters, while five others will be available for other clubs to swoop in and sign for free.
Among those confirmed to be departing is 18-year-old Jack McDowell, who has already agreed to join Queens Park Rangers. The central defender played 12 times for Villa in the Under-18 Premier League during the season just gone, contributing two goals.
The two others listed as ‘released’ on the Premier League’s website are midfield pair Dylan Mitchell and Abube Onunchukwu. The former hardly had a look-in at youth level as he played just 110 league minutes in 2023/24 but Onunchukwu impressed, scoring three in 13 appearances.
Bradford City fans will recognise the name of one of those listed for free transfer as Chisom Afoka, who was loaned to the Bantams for the first half of the campaign, is available to sign. The left winger played five times for Bradford across all competitions but he was recalled in January.
Taylor-Jay Hart, a midfielder who has failed to progress at the desired pace, is up for grabs. The 20-year-old played seven times in Premier League 2 across the last two seasons, following on from plenty of game time in the less senior Under-18 division.
Republic of Ireland Under-19 international Aaron O’Reilly’s time at Villa is over. The centre-back featured five times in Premier League 2 last term but didn’t do enough to warrant a contract extension. The same can be said for right-back Frankie Ealing and midfielder Teddy Rowe, who played nine and eight games last season respectively.
It’s worth noting that all the players listed could yet be offered new deals for Villa if there’s a change of heart. But, as it stands, all eight will be on the hunt for new clubs to further their careers.