Aston Villa have confirmed that youngster Tommi O’Reilly has signed a professional contract with the club.
The 18-year-old has impressed at youth level and has been promoted to training with the first-team squad by Steven Gerrard in recent weeks, as he continues to push for a regular spot in the matchday squad and on the bench.
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While his first-team debut has yet to materialise, it’s hoped that it isn’t too far away as there is a lot to like about O’Reilly’s potential, as he has displayed a high level of technical quality on the ball which has allowed him to stand out for the U23s side.
As per the club’s official site, it has been confirmed that he has put pen to paper on a professional contract, and so it’s hoped that’s the next step for him to establish himself at Villa and now push on to make a bigger impression.
Academy manager Mark Harrison said: “We are delighted to see Tommi sign his professional contract.
“He has been at the club for a very long time and it’s great credit to him, his family and all the staff involved to see him sign a long-term contract.
“Tommi has obviously done really well recently and has been involved with the first team for a while now, so it was really important he was rewarded for how he’s been performing.
“We look forward to seeing how he develops further over the coming years.”
With Gerrard now helping to oversee his development, it’s hoped O’Reilly continues to learn, improve and develop into a first-team player, and in turn opportunities will likely follow.
He joins fellow youth star Tim Iroegbunam in the mix for the senior side, and while the expectation is that Gerrard will continue to stamp his mark on the squad in the summer with new signings, it’s hoped the pair get chances to impress between now and the end of the season.
Delighted to have signed my first professional contract @AVFCOfficial 🦁#AVFC pic.twitter.com/NLOnrCsGun
— Tommi (@tommi_oreilly) March 14, 2022
