How Could Aston Villa Benefit From Xia’s Expansion Plans?

Whether or not there’s any truth in Dr Tony Xia investing in Danish club Lyngby Boldklub given the speculation, we know it’s an aim following the words of our Chief Executive – so which players would benefit the most.

With Xia wanting to at least entertain the idea of building up a network of clubs as Steve Wyness spoke about in – Wyness Talks Sister Clubs & The Mothership – and follow in the footsteps of the Manchester City owners who have utilised loans and purchases via City, New York City and Melbourne City, they aren’t the only example in football as Brentford’s owner Matthew Benham also owns Danish side Midtjylland.

Now from a quick search into his background, short of sharing technical expertise, training ideas and that kind of thing that you’d expect, he doesn’t link the clubs directly and trade players in either directions for loan purposes or player experience, but with so many Danish arrivals at Griffin Park they clearly lean on the shared understanding of players in a different division.

Should Lyngby have truth to it or should Xia inevitably expand his horizons with a Belgian side or a Dutch side, Villa could clearly benefit from a knowledge and kudos link up to foreign divisions in the same way and become better positioned to snap up talent.

But for the benefits of this I’m thinking from a tight relationship aspect between two or more clubs and specifically how we could better prepare and develop our youngsters in the process. I’m selfish like that.

With Steve Bruce disappointed, for example, with Matija Sarkic’s loan spell out at Wigan Athletic, would a tie in like that suit us better and with such a relationship be in a position to say ‘at least 10 games, preferably more’ on friendly terms to suit our purpose as opposed to how it appears Liverpool have done with Marko Grujic and Cardiff City this window.

If that was true of Sarkic and a guaranteed minimum game time, who else would it work for.

We did of course get Easah Suliman out to Grimsby Town but few of us would’ve objected to seeing Callum O’Hare to name just one head on out for a spell.

If and when a sister club relationship comes off for Xia, and just using Lyngby as an example which youngsters would you have sent in their direction in January.

Maybe even more importantly, who would you have exiled there as well, even if it meant still paying 3/4s of their wages?