Unai Emery has set George Hemmings a clear target after the teenager started each of Aston Villa's opening four fixtures this season. According to Birmingham Live, the head coach believes the 19-year-old midfielder possesses huge potential but must now begin adding goal contributions to his performances.
Hemmings completed the full 90 minutes during Villa's recent Champions League victory away to Club Brugge in Belgium. He came close to marking his European debut with a goal on two occasions, only for Yann Sommer to save his first attempt before a strike with his weaker left foot went wide.
Emery highlighted the work Hemmings put in throughout last season when his match involvement was limited. The Spaniard noted that individual training sessions helped the midfielder develop, praising his patience and willingness to learn while operating around the senior squad.
The Villa boss pointed out that Hemmings is already demonstrating his improvement during the early weeks of the campaign, performing at the standard required by the first-team group. Emery stressed that the next step for the youngster is to translate those displays into tangible numbers on the scoresheet.
With the summer transfer window having closed on 1 September, Hemmings remains firmly part of Emery's plans until the market reopens in January 2027. His consistent selection suggests the coaching staff view him as a genuine option rather than merely a prospect for the future.
