Aston Villa signed Brian Madjo, who turned 17 in January, for £10million with first-team ambitions. Madjo arrived in Birmingham midway through January and started training under Emery in Villa’s first-team environment.
He scored during training matches and in small-sided games, and was impressing several team-mates and coaching staff, sufficiently so that the manager wanted to include him in matchday squads throughout the second half of the season.
Internal feedback was unanimously glowing, citing not only Madjo’s obvious ability but overall approach.
Staff and players warmed to him quickly, noting his attention to detail, his listening skills and how hard he worked at acclimatising to a new level of intensity and to Emery’s methods.
Madjo has already scored four goals over this pre-season, which heightened the clamour for his involvement. Madjo is young and raw, but filled with immense potential.
He starts up front today.
