‘Better than Ampadu at his age’: Some fans react as Villa snap up youngster, Liverpool were reportedly keen

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Aston Villa have completed the signing of teenage prodigy Ben Chrisene and, judging by the comments made by some Exeter fans, the Villans have snapped up a real gem.

Chrisene became Exeter’s youngest ever player last August when came on as a substitute in the League Cup loss to Coventry at the age of 15 years, seven months and one day, beating Ethan Ampadu’s record.

Exeter boss Matt Taylor told BBC Sport after the match: “He’s going to play at the top level, it’s as simple as that.

“What that top level is for Ben, he’s 15 years old, I can’t tell you that yet. But I think he’ll play at a top, top standard of football.”

Last year, Devon Live reported that Chrisene had trialled with Liverpool, and the same outlet reported last January that the Reds, Chelsea, Leeds United, Southampton and even Bayern Munich were all linked with him.

However, Villa have now won the race for Chrisene’s signature for an undisclosed fee, Exeter announcing the move and praising the Premier League club for being “very professional and fair in their dealings”.

Though Chrisene is going into the Villa academy and won’t be seeing first-team football just yet, what some Exeter fans have been saying about him bodes well for the future: