Eyebrows were raised when Samuel Ealing-Junior returned to Italy shortly after joining Aston Villa this summer, but the Chelsea academy graduate is determined to force his way into Unai Emery’s plans.
The 21-year-old left west London to join Juventus in 2020 but returned to England this summer in an £11.6m move, joined by team-mate Enzo Barenechea and Brazil international Douglas Luiz against Turin direction.
Less than two months after putting pen to paper on a five-year deal, Ealing-Junior was back on a season-long loan deal with Serie A side Bologna.
It marked a short and sweet return to England for the London-born winger, but he is confident of a role at Villa after being made to feel “wanted” during negotiations.
“You always want to feel wanted and have conversations with the people around you,” she said Sky Sports.
“Especially being part of a swap deal, you want to know that you’re not part of it and that you’re wanted by the club. “Aston Villa made me feel that way.”
When asked if it was always a credit move for him after joining, he added: “Not necessarily, but to the end, yes.”
That “end” was his 185 minutes of the season against Walsall, Spartak Trnava, Columbus Crew and RB Leipzig, where Emery had a chance to analyze his fitness in the team.
Ealing-Junior played for Villa in pre-season
“It was more to see my career progress and my development,” he continued. “I could have another year coming off the bench and not getting as many minutes as I would like.
“So I spoke to the coach and we decided it was best for me to go on loan.”
Welcome to Birmingham from Bellingham!
Despite only being in the Second City for a short time, Ealing-Junior was welcomed by his close friend Jude Bellingham, who followed the same path after rising through the ranks at Birmingham City before moving abroad to Borussia Dortmund and eventually Real Madrid.
Of their conversations after joining, which did not include anything pleasant about the Villa-Birmingham split, he said: “We had a little chat in the summer and he said something in Birmingham, just give him a call.”
Copying Rogers
Bellingham wasn’t the only player to call, either. Ealing-Junior’s new Villa team-mate Morgan Rodgers wasted no time in getting in touch when Luiz was linked with a potential move in the summer.
“When he heard the news, he immediately texted me and asked what was going on,” Ealing-Junior said of Rodgers. “I kept him on his toes for a bit, but by the end he was buzzing.”
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We take a look at Morgan Rodgers’ best moments from his time at Aston Villa as the young England star continues to impress under Unai Emery.
Rodgers joined the club from Middlesbrough last January and has made a meteoric rise through the senior ranks, making 26 appearances in all competitions and becoming one of the first names on the team sheet under Emery.
It’s a path Iling-Junior plans to replicate.
When asked about his England Under-21 team-mate Jaden Filogen, another youngster who is seeing first-team minutes in claret and blue, Ealing-Junior said: to join them soon too.’
Ealing Junior operates for England U21s
A chance to impress at Villa Park
As Iling-Junior emphasized, every path is different.
However, not many players face the odd situation of completing a transfer and making their first appearance at Villa Park, arriving in the colors of another team.
Ealing-Junior is on loan at “Bologna”.
Due to no UEFA rules currently in place, Ealing Junior is free to face his parent club when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Philippe Coutinho, who is still at Villa for Bayern, famously scored a brace for Bayern against Barcelona after being allowed to leave on loan by the Spanish giants in 2020.
His celebrations were muted on the evening and Ealing-Junior has vowed to do the same if he scores on Tuesday, although he sees it primarily as an opportunity to showcase his talents to the fans.
“Definitely not,” he said with a chuckle of the potential celebration. “Maybe a little, but I won’t go overboard.
“It will be a good opportunity to show the fans what I can do and I hope I get a warm welcome.”
Versatility for the Villa
It’s no ordinary transfer scheme, but his temporary departure from the club should not detract from the fact that Villa have a very interesting and versatile prospect in their ranks.
With injuries to Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey, John McGinn and Filogen already in the early stages of the season, having someone who can play in multiple positions like Ealing-Junior at Emery’s disposal could be a very useful option moving forward.
Aston Villa line-up against Fulham
“I think it depends on the formation and the manager’s tactics,” he said when asked about his preferred position.
“I can see myself playing right, left or even left back. Those are the three key positions I can change. Sometimes in the center of the park.
“Playing new positions at a high level has put me in a better position, understanding them and meeting the manager’s demands, making an impact on the game.”
Whether he arrives on offense or defense, one thing is certain. Ealing-Junior is ready to do whatever it takes to succeed in claret and blue.
