Kaine Kesler has signed for Milton Keynes Dons on loan for the rest of the season from Aston Villa, as announced by the club.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a very impressive first half of the season with Swindon Town and has been re-deployed from a League Two promotion push to one in League One by the Villans.

Aston Villa have an outstanding crop of youngsters coming through at the moment, with Cameron Archer and Jaden Philogene-Bidace earning second tier loan moves this month while Carney Chukwuemeka and Jacob Ramsey push on for first team involvement.

Kesler managed two assists from 18 League Two outings in the first half of the season, playing as a right back or right wing back under Ben Garner.

The 19-year-old was very impressive in the Robins' recent 4-1 loss at home to Manchester City in the FA Cup third round and looks a very exciting addition for the Dons.

MK Dons have grown substantially as a preferred loan destination for Premier League clubs as for the style of play implemented by Russell Martin and Liam Manning in recent years.

The Dons currently sit fourth in League One and with the recent displays of the likes of Scott Twine and Theo Corbeanu, the squad will believe that they can push their way into the automatic promotion conversation.

The Verdict

Kesler will likely step in front of Tennai Watson at right wing back, expected to offer an increased attacking threat as the team look to replace the threat of Matt O'Riley, who departed for Celtic this month.

The 19-year-old has a contract at Villa Park until the summer of 2026, which speaks volumes to what the club believe his potential is, and he has recently played for England at U20 level.

Kesler is a player with a big future and someone who could go to a new level in this free-flowing Dons side.

It will be interesting to see how big of an impact the 19-year-old can have as the Dons look to bridge the gap between themselves and Wigan Athletic in second place.