Alan Hutton has become the latest pundit to give his thoughts on Aston Villa’s recent move for Calum Chambers, as per Football Insider.
The Lowdown: Chambers deal
The defender was Steven Gerrard’s fourth and final January arrival alongside Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne and Robin Olsen.
There were no rumours regarding the 27-year-old leaving Arsenal for Villa Park, with the defender penning a three-and-a-half-year deal in the Midlands.
It has since been reported that the Gunners failed to activate a clause in Chambers’ deal before the end of 2021 which would have kept him at the club for a further year, a mistake which ultimately placed his future in his own hands.
The Latest: Hutton’s comments
Former Villa defender Hutton, who features on BBC Radio 5 Live, was talking to Football Insider regarding the move for Chambers.
The ex-Scotland international described it as a ‘total shock’ and labelled Villa’s January business as ‘one of the best’ in the Premier League, saying:
“They have been one of the best in terms of their overall window.
“They have identified who they wanted and gone out and got the business done quietly. There hasn’t been a big noise about it.
“The Chambers one, I don’t think anyone saw that coming. It was a total shock.
“It was an area that Gerrard felt he needed some depth. He can play in various different positions.
“He can do a job at full-back, centre-half etcetera. He’s very versatile and a good age too.
“He will want to kick on and show he has what it takes to be a regular starter.”
The Verdict: Smart signing
Villa were in need of a defender who could play at both centre-back and right-back, so bringing in Chambers, who has plenty of experience in that regard, seems to be a smart move.
Axel Tuanzebe cut short his loan spell in the Midlands to join Napoli, while Matty Cash is the only senior right-back at the club.
Chambers will now be able to provide important cover in both positions, and who knows, he could make his debut against Leeds tomorrow after Ezri Konsa missed the friendly with Molde at the weekend.
In other news: Villa man once dubbed a ‘scapegoat’ may leave; Gerrard called it a ‘unique situation’