Aston Villa have officially announced new contracts for talented youngsters Josh Feeney and Viljami Sinisalo.
As part of an ongoing process from the club as they actively look to secure the long-term futures of our top youth talents, there are two more names to add to the list as of this week.
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Feeney pens first professional deal at Villa
Feeney’s new contract was the first to be announced, with the club’s statement confirming that he had put pen to paper on the first professional deal of his career.
There are high hopes for the 17-year-old defender, and with the stability and reassurance that comes with a new long-term deal, he can now place his full focus on continuing his development at Villa and hopefully that culminates in breaking into the first-team squad and ultimately the starting XI.
Sinisalo signs new Villa contract
Meanwhile, Villa also confirmed a new contract for Sinisalo, with the Finnish goalkeeper continuing to impress at youth level while also gaining valuable experience through training with the senior players.
Steven Gerrard’s first-choice shot-stopper between the posts will continue to be Emiliano Martinez this season, fitness permitting, while Jed Steer returns from a loan spell away from the club and Robin Olsen has been signed on a permanent basis.
In turn, Sinisalo will likely continue to sit further down the pecking order in the goalkeeper ranks, but it’s a clear show of faith from Villa to offer him a new deal, and he’ll be in a similar position to Feeney in trying to prove himself and develop his game to become a part of the senior squad in the future.
Time will tell if a loan spell elsewhere is more beneficial for him at this stage of his career to earn valuable experience and playing time, but for now, he’ll be delighted to have secured his future at Villa.