Aston Villa have confirmed that goalkeeper Oliwier Zych has joined Rakow Czestochowa on a season-long loan deal.
The 21-year-old has impressed at youth level for the club as he’s featured heavily since joining us in 2020, while he was part of the squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2021.
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Having also been named in the matchday squad under Unai Emery on multiple occasions, he’s gained valuable experience while remaining at Villa, but he will undoubtedly benefit from a more prominent role at a higher level next season.
As per the club’s official statement, Zych has joined Rakow Czestochowa on loan for the upcoming campaign, where he’ll hope to build on his productive spell at Puszcza Niepolomice previously as he continues to develop and improve his game with the hope of establishing himself in the Villa first-team squad at some stage in the future.
It’s a sensible move for all concerned, as the Polish shot-stopper will get the opportunity to play regularly and enjoy the benefits that come with that, while Villa create space in the squad in a reshuffle of our goalkeeper depth options this summer.
After Robin Olsen’s departure at the start of the month following the expiration of his contract, that has opened up a spot in that department, and while Emiliano Martinez remains at the club despite speculation linking him with a move elsewhere, Joe Gauci returns from his loan spell at Barnsley last season with the hope that he can now establish himself as our No.2, or at worst, third-choice goalkeeper behind a new signing.
Given it was reported this past weekend that Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot had arrived in the UK to finalise personal terms and undergo his medical ahead of joining Villa, the expectation is that the Dutchman could become the primary back-up option to Martinez, and so that would push both Gauci and Zych down the pecking order.
With that in mind, a loan move for the latter makes perfect sense while it remains to be seen what’s next for Gauci, and it’s hoped that it proves to be a productive spell which in turn sets him up for either another crack at breaking into the Villa senior squad, or raises his value and opens the door for a permanent exit next summer.
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