Aston Villa look set to sign 16-year-old defender from Luton Town

Luton Town prospect Leon Routh is reportedly close to agreeing a move to Premier League side Aston Villa.

The teenage defender has been part of the Hatters academy in recent years, featuring for the U18s last season as they were crowned champions of the Youth Alliance South East Division for the second year running. Town boss Rob Edwards showed during the club’s Premier League campaign that he wasn’t afraid to give his teenagers experience of the top flight, with Joe Johnson, Zack Nelson, Jayden Luker, Axel Piesold, Dominic Dos Santos Martins and even fellow 16-year-old Christian Chigozie named on the bench at times.

However it looks like Routh could be one that slips through the net for the Hatters, who recently brought in former defender Joe Deeney to take charge of the U18s this season, as writing on Twitter, media outlet The Secret Scout said: “Aston Villa closing in on highly rated 16-year-old centre back Leon Routh from Luton Town. Player has agreed terms. Fee set to be agreed.”

Luton have already done business with Villa during the close season after the Midlands club signed midfielder Ross Barkley for an undisclosed fee following his superb top flight season for the Hatters. With the Villans having a Category One academy it means they are able to play in the Premier League 2 which is a division made up of 26 teams. They finished 16th last term, with seven wins, four draws and nine defeats, qualifying for the play-offs, but went out at the first stage, beaten 4-3 by Spurs U21s after extra time.