Arjan Raikhy in final chapter of Aston Villa career as Leicester City transfer option emerges
Academy graduate Arjan Raikhy’s time at Aston Villa looks to be entering its final chapter, with the 20-year-old currently on trial with Leicester City ahead of a potential free transfer.
Birmingham Mail shared on Saturday (6 May) that Raikhy played 90 minutes for the Foxes’ Under-21 side in a league game against Manchester United on Friday (5 May), signalling that his career at Villa Park was over in the process.
The Englishman spent last season on loan at Stockport County and Grimsby Town, earning promotion from the National League under the guidance of Dave Challinor.
This season, the Wolverhampton-born player has taken this experience and put it to good use for the Aston Villa Under-21s, scoring three goals and supplying two assists in 18 appearances.
Raikhy’s impressive form caught the attention of Unai Emery and earned him a call-up to the squad for the trip to the UAE during the World Cup break, where he netted a goal in a friendly win over Chelsea.
Despite Emery’s vote of confidence in the academy graduate, The Athletic (13 April) reported last month that the midfielder was one of four players who would be leaving Bodymoor Heath at the end of the season when their contracts expire.
Greg Evans wrote that Villa “decided against offering new deals to each of their development team players as they plan for the future”.
The move from the club doesn’t come as a surprise considering the lack of minutes Raikhy has been offered in recent months.
Even in the injury absence of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara, Emery has often decided to name three goalkeepers in his match-day squad instead of calling upon the talented youngster to his team, with the midfielder not being given a single minute of Premier League action this term.
If ever there was a sign that Raikhy was heading out of the Villa Park gates at the end of the season, this was it.
It is disappointing to see another one of Villa’s 2020/21 FA Youth Cup-winning side move onto new pastures after the notable departure of Carney Chukwuemeka to Chelsea last year, but it is definitely the best move for both parties.
The transfer to Leicester City still has to have the T’s crossed and I’s dotted, but it seems like Raikhy’s career at Aston Villa is drawing to a close.
In other Aston Villa news, one bargain target can save the club millions for investment elsewhere in the squad and still have a major impact.