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While transfer rumors swirl around him, Tammy Abraham just keeps on doing what he does best, score goals.
On Sunday against Leeds United, he gave Aston Villa the lead after just five minutes, initiating and finishing off a lovely series on one-touch passes with a sliding strike off of John McGinn’s final hurried pass.
That makes 13 goals and an assist for Abraham in just 19 matches for Villa, picking up right where he left off for Bristol City last time he played in the Championship two seasons ago.
His success has led to media speculation that Chelsea — inexplicably — might sell him in January. One of the origins of that nonsense might have been this North Echo story on December 19th, which claims that Maurizio Sarri’s not a fan and that both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are circling, vulture-like, but the notion has surfaced in throwaway lines in reports closer to home as well since, such as this bit from the Evening Standard’s Simon Johnson.
If any of that’s true, it’s news to Villa manager Dean Smith, who spoke ahead of his team’s eventual 3-2 loss to Leeds.
“It’s not a concern to me at the moment. We have an agreement with Chelsea where they wanted Tammy to come here and develop as a player. He is doing that, scoring goals and looking a handful.
“Chelsea — and I can only go on my discussions with Eddie Newton — have been happy with how the agreement has worked for them. Long may that continue.”
-Dean Smith; source: BirminghamLive
It seems implausible and out of character that Chelsea would sell a young and high performing loan player mid-season. It would also seem equally implausible that Chelsea would actively scupper Villa’s season — in spite of the good relationship that has been built, and the presence of legend John Terry among the Villa coaching staff — by recalling Abraham in mid-season. Best guess is that 21-year-old Abraham will keep banging in the goals for Aston Villa this season and will try to force his way into the Chelsea first-team next summer.