Aston Villa youngster Lamare Bogarde has revealed what Unai Emery has told him, as he looks to establish himself at Villa Park.
ESPN cover comments from the defender today after he made his Europa League debut against former club Feyenoord this week.
The youngster is highly rated at Villa Park. He joined them from Feyenoord in 2020 and has steadily worked up the ranks since.
Now he’s a firm fixture in the first team, making his Premier League debut under Unai Emery in a 2-1 win over Leicester in August last year. He’s since made 24 appearances in total for the club, including one against Feyenoord.
A report this week stated that Emery has big plans for him, having already turned down several bids to keep him in his squad. And now he’s revealed what the Spanish coach has told him specifically.
“It all happened very quickly,” he said about moving to Aston Villa.
“It was a new environment. I played in the youth academy for the first two years, and then I made my Premier League debut. Last year was my first season, and I played a total of eighteen matches.
“It’s a good stage to show what I’m capable of. I think we played well as a team. I’m happy with the win. The manager also told me he expects more from me because I showed last year that I can do it. I feel that myself. That’s why I want to repay his faith when I step on the pitch.”
A return to Feyenoord was very much a special moment for Bogarde. He came through the Dutch club’s youth ranks and making 19 appearances for the U17s before his move to Aston Villa in 2020.
Some might think his new side drawing them in Europe was fate, and he admits it was a special moment to face them.
“It’s a special feeling. I played in the youth academy for ten years and I know a lot of people at the club. I know how the club works,” he added.
