Lamare Bogarde’s impressive start to the season has been one of the bright spots in Aston Villa’s campaign so far.

The versatile midfielder, who can also play at centre-back and right-back, started the club’s last two Premier League matches against Burnley and Fulham.

Playing in the double pivot during those games, he misplaced just two of the 84 passes he attempted, and has recorded a passing accuracy of 95.7% across the eight appearances he has made this season in all competitions.

After impressing Unai Emery during pre-season in the summer of 2024, the 21-year-old was given the chance to compete for a first-team spot last season, featuring in 16 matches, including four in the Champions League.

Bogarde has seized the opportunity to shine this season following injuries to both Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans, while Ross Barkley has been dealing with a personal issue.

Midfield is an area where Emery has significant depth, but Bogarde’s maturity is evident in his ability to step into the shoes of more senior, experienced, and fully-fledged international players.

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