Aston Villa youngster Oliwier Zych is heading out on loan
Aston Villa goalkeeper Oliwier Zych
Aston Villa goalkeeper Oliwier Zych(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Aston Villa have confirmed that young goalkeeper Oliwier Zych has joined Raków Częstochowa on a season-long loan.
He returns to Poland for another loan spell after previously being at Puszcza Niepolomice. He has been at Villa since 2020 and has featured in the club's matchday squad after being an FA Youth Cup Winner in 2021.
Zych who is highly-rated at Bodymoor Heath will aim to impress after spending last season as third-choice keeper. Villa were pleased to secure his contract extension last December amid reported interest from Arsenal and Brighton in the 21-year-old Polish stopper.
Last term, Zych was a regular in Villa's matchday squad and signed a new contract with the club in December 2024.
Meanwhile, Villa play their first pre-season friendly against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium on Wednesday night.
It will be Unai Emery’s first opportunity to assess the condition of several first-team players and run the rule over some academy prospects as well.
After facing Walsall (7:30pm), Villa will travel to Germany later in the week to take on Hansa Rostock on Saturday (3pm).
Three Stateside friendlies against Eintracht Frankfurt, St. Louis, and Nashville will follow, before another trio of matches: AS Roma at the Bescot, and trips to Marseille and Villarreal the weekend before the new season begins.
When Villa host Newcastle at Villa Park on the opening day, they’ll be without Emi Martinez - though the Argentine could be sold before then, depending on whether the club's valuation is met and a replacement is secured.
Following Robin Olsen’s departure at the end of June, Villa moved quickly to finalise a deal with Stade Brest to sign Marco Bizot.
The 34-year-old is set to serve as Villa’s backup goalkeeper but may not be available in time for the Walsall game.
Joe Gauci is expected to get minutes - possibly a half - while either Filip Marschall will feature in the other period.
Lamare Bogarde, Andres Garcia, Tyrone Mings, and Pau Torres will all feature after returning to training at the start of the week, while youngster Travis Patterson could get a run-out at left-back.
Kosta Nedeljkovic and Alex Moreno are also back in training but are expected to leave the club permanently this summer.
Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, and Jacob Ramsey returned to Bodymoor Heath on Monday and are in contention to play at Walsall.
Villa’s only new signing so far, Zépiqueno Redmond - who joined as a free agent on July 1 - could lead the line on Wednesday.
Jamal Jimoh-Aloba, who was involved with the first team last season, is also expected to be in the squad, alongside several other youngsters who won the FA Youth Cup and Premier League National Cup last term.
More senior players will return to training from Monday and may feature against Hansa Rostock if not at Walsall.
Villa predicted XI vs Walsall: Joe Gauci; Andres Garcia, Lamare Bogarde, Tyrone Mings, Travis Patterson; Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley; Kadan Young, Jamal Jimoh-Aloba, Jacob Ramsey; Zépiqueno Redmond.
Aston Villa have announced that promising goalkeeper Oliwier Zych has signed a new contract with the club.
The 20-year-old was courting interest from a number of clubs, including Arsenal and Brighton after an impressive loan spell in his native Poland with Ekstraklasa side Puszcza Niepolomice last season.
Zych kept seven clean sheets in 26 appearances for the club, who finished 12th in the Polish top-flight. He joined Villa from Zaglebie Lubin in the summer of 2020 having played for Arka Gydnia Youth before making the move to Lubin, where he stayed for two years.
An FA Youth Cup winner with Villa in 2021, Zych is highly-rated at Bodymoor Heath. He has started three of the club's four EFL Trophy matches so far this term and was in goal for both penalty shootout victories over League One sides Bolton and Blackpool.
A new English professional record for most penalties taken in a shootout was set when Villa beat the Tangerines 18-17 on spot kicks last week.
Zych had less than a year left on his previous deal before penning fresh terms. He was part of the senior Polish provisional squad ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 last summer.