Oliwier Zych could be fast-tracked to Aston Villa first team – ‘There’s nothing to stop him’
Dan Bardell believes Oliwier Zych could become the number two goalkeeper at Aston Villa after his heroics against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy.
The Young Lions secured a draw against a League One outfit before winning a penalty shootout to win an additional bonus point on 8 October.
The Polish youngster had a huge role to play on the night, making nine saves during the game as well as two in the shootout [SofaScore].
This has led to rave reviews about the 20-year-old and Sky Sports and talkSPORT journalist Bardell believes he could become the number two behind Emi Martinez.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “There’s nothing to stop a young goalkeeper pushing their way up and becoming a number two goalkeeper.
“He was obviously the standout against Bolton and was the senior of that team.
“It is a great sign that they’ve won that game because they picked a really young side.“
Oliwier Zych impresses for Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers
It was a hugely impressive shift from everyone involved against Bolton but no one stood out as much as the Polish goalkeeper.
Despite eventually being breached by Victor Adeboyejo, the 20-year-old was deserving of the eventual penalty win that the Villans secured.
It would be a tough task for Zych to dislodge Emi Martinez because he is just world class but there is an opportunity to battle Joe Gauci for that backup goalkeeper role under Unai Emery.
In other Aston Villa news, Dan Bardell has shared his verdict on the performances of Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey.
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