Christian Purslow has spoken about what he expects from Aston Villa's youngsters, as reported by The Birmingham Mail.

What did he say?

The chief executive was speaking at the Villa Supporters Trust’s AGM, with conversation turning towards the club's youngs players.

This comes with Louie Barry arriving from Barcelona and Carney Chukwuemeka also catching the eye.

However, Purslow was in no mood to rest on his laurels, as he said: “Frankly, I’m going to be brutal, 22-year-olds playing in an under-23 team means your system isn’t working. It means your system has failed because 22-year-old footballers at Aston Villa need to be in the first team.

“The ultimate goal is to populate the under-23 team with 11 outstanding 16, 17 and 18-year-olds, then I will know it’s working.

"And that will take years, not months. We need to be higher in recruiting the best eight-year-old, nine-year-old, 10-year-old, 11-year-old, 12-year-old, 14, 16, one a year that makes it and gets a professional contract at 16.

“I want that player. We have one right now, probably the best 16-year-old in England, Carney (Chukwuemeka). Absolutely no debate, he’s starting for the U23s. That’s what you want with your 16-year-olds. Not people who are not quite breaking into the first team, but staying around on contracts because it isn’t quite happening.”

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Ticking timebomb

This sets a ticking time bomb for any youngsters who are breaking into their twenties and have still shown no sign of breaking into the first-team or heading out on loan.

To contextualise Purslow's comments, 21-year-old Callum O'Hare, who is a very popular figure among Villa fans, only went on his first loan spell last season, so if his development had been much slower his place at the club could have been under threat.

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While it is brutal in this sense, it should be seen as a positive that so much faith is being shown in the youth players that they can be moved on within the club.

It also indicates that opportunities will be given to any youngster who is good enough to take it, which is what any academy product will be looking for.

There may be a ticking timebomb after his comment, but any Villa youngster could get a massive reward if they are able to beat it.

Meanwhile, one Villa academy graduate has been given massive praise.