James Chester backing Scott Hogan to shine at Aston Villa next season

Hogan scored just once in 13 appearances after joining in a £12million deadline day move from Brentford back in January, his first few months in the Midlands hampered by injury and inconsistent form.

The 25-year-old missed around a month after twisting his ankle during February’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle, in what was just his fifth game for the club.

He then suffered a similar injury in Villa’s season-ending 1-1 draw with Brighton earlier this month but is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of pre-season.

Chester believes the stop-start nature of Hogan’s Villa career to date has done the striker few favours and reckons he will be an asset to the club next term.

“I’m sure Scott is disappointed with how the first few months of his Villa career have gone but it can’t be through any fault of his own,” said the skipper.

“The injuries he has picked up have been really unlucky. Hopefully he can get fit over the summer. I am sure he will be a real asset to us next season.”

Hogan, who began his career at Rochdale, was strongly linked with a move to the Premier League and West Ham after scoring 14 times for Brentford in the first half of the season.

But it was Villa who stepped in and secured his signature in the closing hours of the January transfer window.

"It’s always difficult when you come to a new club," added Chester. "You want to get going and prove your worth right away and Scott has stuttered a little bit, picking up injuries.

"It seems daft to say but if there is a time to get injured it is probably the last game of the season because he has all summer to come back.

"He has come in and settled into the group really well. He seems the right character to have around the place and he is proven in this division."