Tommi O’Reilly, an academy product of Aston Villa, made his first-team debut in the 1-1 Europa Conference League match against Zrinjski, demonstrating that he is finally prepared for the transition to senior football.
O’Reilly, dubbed “little Foden” by academy coaches [The Athletic], has been a household figure in the Villa community since 2022, when he had his breakthrough year.
Academy manager Mark Harrison discussed the 20-year-old’s possible role in the first team when he signed his first professional deal in March 2022, citing his prior training and squad appearances [BBC Sport].
It is surprising that it took him until now to make his debut considering that he was included in matchday squads for games against Brighton and Southampton prior to signing his first professional contract in 2022, but he has now demonstrated that he was worthy of the promotion.
In his seven Premier League 2 outings this season, O’Reilly has scored twice and provided six assists. He has also scored and provided an assist in the EFL Trophy, where he has faced senior teams.
Prior to making his first-team debut against Zrinjski, he had practiced with League One team Charlton Athletic, League Two teams Crawley Town and Sutton United.
O’Reilly touched the ball five times and completed three passes in his 11 minutes on the field during the Conference League game [Sofascore], attempting to find space between the lines to receive on the turn and create issues for the defense.
With his tendency to take the ball into his feet and turn before attempting to find a pass or break, he provides Villa’s other attack-minded midfielders—Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans, and even fellow academy graduate Jacob Ramsey—with an alternative.
While a direct comparison to England and Manchester City star Phil Foden may be far off at this point, Foden’s play style, tiny build, and influence on the academy indicate that if he can make the transition to the first team, Foden is the player he will try to emulate.
