Oliwier Zych could feature in Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez succession plan – here’s why
Aston Villa will be putting plans in place for life after Emi Martinez.
With Martinez strongly linked with a transfer exit in the winter window, and reports emerging over a possible desire to return to Argentina, the 33-year-old may be in his final months as an Aston Villa player.
He’s been a superb servant to the Villans, making over 240 appearances since signing from Arsenal in the summer of 2020, and has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers around during his time at Villa Park.
As such, replacing him will be no easy feat for Unai Emery and Villa chiefs to do, and with 34-year-old Marco Bizot not a long-term candidate either, they may be forced to look externally for his successor.
Oliwier Zych should be putting Unai Emery on notice
Or will they? Perhaps there is another in-house candidate that could shock everyone and emerge as a possible Martinez replacement.
That player? Oliwier Zych. Indeed, the 21-year-old was signed to Villa’s academy in the summer of 2020 from Polish side Zaglebie Lubin, having been scouted by a host of top European clubs.
Since then, the young shot-stopper has largely been featuring for various Villa youth teams, but was sent out on his first senior loan to Polish outfit Puszcza Niepolomice for the 2023-24 season.
After spending the 2024-25 season back in the West Midlands, he was once again loaned out for a second spell in the Polish Ekstraklasa (top division) for this season, joining Rakow Czestochowa.
The youngster has been in fine form this term too, having established himself as their starting goalkeeper, and representing them both in the Ekstraklasa and in the UEFA Conference League respectively.
As per Sofascore, Zych has registered a remarkable 94 per cent save percentage from four Conference League starts this season, conceding just once and keeping three clean sheets in that competition.
Meanwhile in the league, he’s saved 74 per cent of the shots he’s faced, and has made zero errors leading to an opposition shot, and is conceding an average of just under a goal per game.
Aston Villa may face tough Zych transfer battle
Top goalkeepers are hard to find, especially young ones, and Zych is showing the kind of potential that will have many inside Villa Park excited.
Villa wisely signed him to a new contract in the winter of 2024, the length of which unknown, but they did so not only as a reward for his progression as a shot-stopper, but also to fend off transfer interest.
Indeed, it was reported at the time of his new deal that the likes of Arsenal and Brighton were both tracking his development ahead of potential swoops, showing how highly-rated he is in the wider football circle too.
Therefore, it’s clear that Zych is believed to have top-class potential by many in English football, and so he could be a real dark horse to replace Martinez if/when he departs Villa Park.
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