They say you never fall in love with a loanee – but Tammy Abraham’s return to Aston Villa proves some chapters are being reopened.
“Fallen giants stand again,” were the famous words he spoke ski sports Daniel Mann after Villa secured promotion in 2019.
At the time of this writing, 2738 days have passed since that day, the last time Abraham donned burgundy and blue. Chelsea, Roma, AC Milan and Besiktas followed, but seven years later, the number 18 shirt is his again.
Abraham helped Aston Villa win promotion from the Championship in 2019
True, without him the club would not be where it is today. The striker, who signed on loan while Steve Bruce was still in charge, scored 26 goals in 40 appearances.
A short but incredibly fruitful stay, which left a feeling of incompleteness in the Second City.
“It still doesn’t feel right,” he told the club’s official website. “Since I first arrived here, I fell in love with the club.
“I always told myself (that) if I had to go back to England, Villa would be one of the special teams he would go back to.”
That dream is now a reality and Abraham is in line to make his debut for the club against Brentford, live on Sunday Ski Sports.
Sunday February 1 12:30 p.m
Start at 14:00
In anticipation of the striker pulling on the shirt again, Ski Sports spoke to the manager who got the best out of him during his first spell at the club.
“He just loves scoring goals,” said former Villa boss Dean Smith, a boyhood fan who led the club to promotion with Abraham leading the line. Ski Sports.
“He was hungry to score goals, he was hungry to succeed. We tried to sign him when we sold Jack (Grealish) but Chelsea kept too much money, unfortunately, and we had to move elsewhere.”
“But he’s someone who I think can re-excite the fans and connect with them.”
“He was a well-liked person in the dressing room too, which tells you a lot about his character. The biggest thing I remember is that every goal he scored in training he celebrated as if it was a Premier League goal.”
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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery expressed his satisfaction with the signings of Abraham and Douglas Luiz
Abraham has been a long-term target for Smith and current boss Unai Emery echoed that sentiment.
Reports suggested Emery was interested in signing the forward in 2023, until an ACL injury during Roma’s final game of the season brought preliminary talks to an abrupt halt.
Good things come to those who wait and Villa now have their man, offering key reinforcements to the squad following the departure of Donyel Mullen to Abraham’s former club Roma.
“He’s going to be good news for everybody, to be honest,” Smith added after Abraham’s return. “He’s got an obvious connection with all the fans there for what he’s done in a season of winning promotion.”
“He loved his time at Villa and we loved having him there. He’s a good player.
“He’s had a few injury problems but he’s come back from that and he’s always got the tooth to go and score. The challenge will be to either go and play Ollie Watkins or challenge him.”
Dilemma with the forward in Villa
A challenge indeed. In an ideal world, clubs have plenty of options to turn to with depth at every position. But finding that balance in the forward department at Villa has always proved problematic.
Smith, Steven Gerrard and even Emery himself have all failed, with the same outcome each time – the player leaving.
Danny Ings, John Duran and most recently Mullen have come and gone quickly, with Watkins an ever-present in maroon and blue.
Smith is perfectly placed to discuss the dilemma, but with Villa having the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup to balance, he believes the competition will only benefit the club.
He said: “You’re playing so many games now, Villa are regularly in Europe, they’re pretty deep in the cup competitions.
“There are a lot more games so you need more depth in the squad and that’s what going and getting someone like Tammy will give you.
“One of these players can get injured and then suddenly you need another one. It’s ideal to have a couple and you’re blessed if you get two as talented as Ollie and Tammy.”
How does Willa get the best of Abraham again?
Smith spoke highly of his former striker, but looking after the fairytale reunion, Villa need to contribute immediately.
A congested fixture schedule has weighed heavily on Watkins and with Villa looking to secure a top-five finish in the league table, expectations will be high on Abraham.
How do Villa get the best out of him? Smith believes Abraham’s presence will give them several different avenues to explore.
“It can do both,” he said. “He’s definitely good on his feet. He’s got really neat feet, so he can pick it up, set it up and go. If he’s got short, tall, he can get on the end of it.
“There are different ways Tammy scores. There’s no one particular type of goal. He’s good with both feet, and he’s definitely good in the air.”
One area of his game has gone under the radar and his signing could see Villa improve at both ends of the pitch.
During the league season so far, Villa have conceded an expected value of 10kG goals from set pieces, the fourth highest in the league, with eight goals from these situations.
Abraham can help in this department. “One of the things people don’t take from his time when I had him was how good he was defensively off the set piece,” Smith said.
“You put him at the near post and he knew how to head every corner. He certainly helped us defensively from set pieces as well as scoring goals.” Preventing goals could prove just as valuable as scoring them.
Abraham’s return is steeped in nostalgia, but his signature is about impact rather than feeling. Villa need depth and quality more than ever and if he can rediscover the same sharpness that saw Villa get promoted, his second spell could play another pivotal role in the club’s history.
The role he plays — whether it’s in the rotation or breaking into the starting lineup — is up for debate, but it serves as a reminder of how far the team has come — and where they intend to go next.
Watch Aston Villa v Brentford live on Sky Sports Premier League from 12.30pm on Sunday 1 February. Start at 14.00