Tammy Abraham ready to thrive in Aston Villa pressure cooker
Tammy Abraham is ready to thrive in the Villa pressure cooker and help engineer a promotion push this season.
The England under-21 international acknowledges there is no shortage of expectation on his shoulders after arriving from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
But he insists it will only serve as further motivation to succeed.
“I believe this club should be in the Premier League,” he said. “They deserve that kind of pressure but it will just drive me on more. I would rather be in this position where a team is doing well and fighting for promotion.
"I went through a relegation last year at Swansea, now I want to try the other route. Hopefully here I will get the chance to be promoted.”
Abraham scored 26 goals in all competitions two seasons ago during his last spell in the second tier with Bristol City.
A strong start to last season with Swansea saw him earn two senior England caps. Yet Abraham netted only once in the Premier League from October onward and admits he has arrived at Villa aiming to kick-start his career.
“That was an unbelievable season at Bristol City. I made a breakthrough,” he said. “It helped going into Swansea last year. It gives people a good eye on you.
“This year I would like to push on. If I come here and get 20-odd goals again, people will see me as a proper goalscorer.”
Abraham is already familiar with a number of Villa’s players. He is close friends with Jack Grealish and has played against the likes of Axel Tuanzebe and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy in youth football.
Joining Villa will also see him rekindle ties with Jonathan Kodjia, alongside whom he played twice for Bristol City before the former’s £15million switch to Villa two years ago.
“Jon got the assist for my first professional goal. We were good together,” said Abraham. “I know a lot of the boys. I can’t wait to get started.
“The last hours before deadline to try and find a team, some of the the options I had were gone at the time Chelsea told me.
“This was the option I had where I believe this is going to a Premier League team and should be in the Premier League. I want to help the team all I can.”
