Grimsby Town announced that they have signed Arjan Raikhy from Aston Villa until the end of the season. Raikhy was previously on loan with Stockport County who were just 2 points behind leaders Chesterfield. However, Raikhy did not get enough game time for which he was loaned out by Villa.
Villa recalled Raikhy at the start of the year as he started just four games for Stockport County. Therefore, Aston Villa decided to loan the former West Bromwich Albion youth to Grimsby Town. The Mariners are currently 10th in the league and 11 points behind the league leaders.
Grimsby Town can use some help to close the gap to the league leaders. Arjan Raikhy can certainly do that and also improve as a player while on loan. The 19-year-old is excited to get started at Grimsby Town and show what he is capable of. This is what he had to say about his move to the Mariners,
“I’m delighted to be here, I spoke to the manager at the weekend, I was very happy with the feedback,”
“I’m delighted to be here and I can’t wait to help the team. The conversation I had with the manager was very encouraging, I liked what he said.
“I didn’t play as much as I’d have liked in my first loan. That’s why I’m here, to play games and help the team. It was a lack of game time. Stockport’s ambition is to win the league. They had very experienced players.”
How the Arjan Raikhy loan deal benefits both Grimsby Town and Aston Villa?
Arjan Raikhy won the FA Youth Cup with Aston Villa and was also featured for his senior team against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup. He is certainly a talent for the future but he needs to play more and get used to the game. He can follow the footsteps of Hamza Choudhury of being successful as an Asian British football player.
Raikhy idolized Steven Gerrard and Sergio Busquets while growing up. He also trained with the senior team of Aston Villa and talked to Steven Gerrard. Arjan mentioned that Gerrard wants the young players to go out and get senior team experience. Therefore, Raikhy has to be successful at Grimsby in order to play under his idol at Aston Villa.
Grimsby Town have not been the most consistent team in the league and can improve more. However, they need some depth in their squad and a variety of players. Arjan Raikhy can play anywhere in the midfield as suitable for his manager.
Moreover, the Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst has a habit of giving the new players their full debut. This can boost Raikhy’s confidence and also give him a chance to cement his place in the lineup.
Arjan Raikhy will certainly do everything in his power to get regular appearances for Grimsby Town. His success with the Mariners will also determine his future with Aston Villa. Gerrard and his team will keep a close look at the youth developments of their club to avoid spending cash as they have done this season to help Gerrard. Raikhy might give Gerrard a chance to think about his involvement with Aston Villa in near future.
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