Former Aston Villa man Alan Hutton has praised his former club for their focus on youth as they completed a deal for Bristol Rovers' Kyrie Pierre earlier this month.

Whilst the owners at Villa Park have been keen to back Dean Smith in the transfer market for first-team additions, there has also been a heavy focus on improving the academy.

The club have made plenty of additions over the past year at their younger age groups, with Pierre joining for what was described as a 'record fee' by Rovers.

And, speaking to Football Insider, Hutton explained why Villa's decision to splash out on 15-year-old Pierre is a smart move in the long-term, and he also explained why the player would've been convinced it was right to leave the Memorial Stadium.

"That’s what it’s all about. Louie Barry is another example. He cost a lot of money too.

"They are looking to create a pathway into the first team. It must be amazing to be a youngster coming through. It just seems to me that for the first time in a long time that everything at the club is connected, from top to bottom."

The verdict

There's no denying that Villa have put a real focus on recruiting for their academy, and the fact they recently won the Youth Cup shows that it's paying off.

The deal for Pierre was a significant one considering his age but it's one that could look shrewd in the years to come.

Now, the challenge for Pierre is to handle the step up from Bristol Rovers and Gas fans will be interested to see how his career develops in the future.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.