Premier League side Aston Villa are keeping close tabs on promising Hibernian starlet Josh Doig.
According to the Daily Mail, Premier League side Aston Villa are keeping close tabs on Scottish starlet Josh Doig.
The 19-year-old came through the ranks at Heart of Midlothian before moving to Hibernian in 2019. He signed a contract with the Scottish side until 2023 and was loaned out to League Two side Queen’s Park.
Doig was promoted to the Hibernian senior squad ahead of the 2020 season and has since enjoyed a run in their first team. His performances have caught the eye of teams from the Premier League and Scottish Premiership giants Celtic.
Primarily a left-back, he can also play at centre-back and in left midfield if needed. This versatility should hold him in good stead going forward. Aston Villa are a club that can benefit from just such a player.
In recent weeks, Steven Gerrard’s side have seen their performances improve as they have put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone. The Villans fell to a 2-1 defeat to Brentford and the loss saw them miss out on an opportunity to move into the top half of the table.
One of the major weaknesses the Villa side showed on the night was at left-back. Matt Targett looked out of sorts against Brentford and looked off the pace. He was completely overwhelmed by the occasion, and the Midlands side could do with an alternative to him in their squad.
Doig is not yet ready to establish himself as a Premier League first-team player. He still has some ways to go before reaching the requisite level. But Gerrard has already shown his ability to nurture young talents at Rangers, which bodes well for Doig.
A player who looks up to Arsenal star Kieran Tierney, Doig has all the potential to follow in the Gunners ace’s footsteps. He has already taken the first steps by winning the 2020/21 SFWA Young Player of the Year Award.
In Andy Robertson and Tierney, Scotland have produced two excellent left-backs in recent years. Whether Doig will soon be counted among their ranks remains to be seen. The Scottish youth international certainly is one to watch for in the years to come. The question is whether he will be strutting his stuff in a Villa jersey in the near future.
