French
DeutschOliwier Zych
 Zych playing for Aston Villa in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oliwier Zych[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Gdynia, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Aston Villa | ||
| Number | 48 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2018 | Arka Gdynia | ||
| 2018–2020 | Zagłębie Lubin | ||
| 2020–2023 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Puszcza Niepołomice (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2019 | Poland U15 | 4 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Poland U16 | 5 | (0) |
| 2022 | Poland U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Poland U19 | 10 | (0) |
| 2023– | Poland U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024– | Poland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 June 2024 | |||
Oliwier "Oli" Zych (born 28 June 2004) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Aston Villa.[2]
Club career
[edit]Youth career in Poland
[edit]Zych spent time in the youth system of Arka Gdynia, before continuing his football career at Zagłębie Lubin, working through the youth academy. In August 2020, after being scouted by Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern Munich,[3] Zych was signed by Premier League club Aston Villa, joining their academy.[4]
Aston Villa
[edit]In 2021, Zych was part of the Aston Villa U18 squad that won the FA Youth Cup.[5] In August 2021, he was given a professional contract by the club.[6]
On 13 October 2022, Zych signed a contract extension with Villa.[7]
Loan to Puszcza Niepołomice
[edit]On 4 September 2023, Zych signed for Polish top flight club Puszcza Niepołomice on a season-long loan.[8] He made his Ekstraklasa debut on 15 September, in a 3–1 defeat to Śląsk Wrocław.[9] On 1 April 2024, in a 1–1 home draw against Radomiak Radom, Zych was beaten by a clearance by Radomiak's goalkeeper Gabriel Kobylak from outside his box.[10] Despite this, Zych received praise for his performances across the 2023–24 season, resulting in a nomination for the Ekstraklasa Goalkeeper of the Season award in May 2024.[11] He returned to England at the conclusion of the season.[12]
Senior debut
[edit]Zych was named in Aston Villa's pre-season squad for their tour of the United States of America in July 2024. He played his first senior minutes for Villa on July 27, 2024, coming on at half-time in a 4-1 defeat to Columbus Crew in Ohio, conceding a single goal to Dylan Chambost.[13]
International career
[edit]In 2019, Zych was named in the Poland U15 squad that was invited to join the 2019 South American U-15 Championship, however Poland ultimately withdrew from the tournament.[14]
On 7 February 2023, Zych was called up to a Poland U19 training camp for the first time, going on to captain the team in a 3–2 friendly victory over Czech Republic.[15]
On 26 June 2023, he was named in the Poland U19 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[16]
In May 2024, Zych received his first under-21 call-up for a friendly against North Macedonia on 1 June 2024.[17] Later that month, Zych received his first call-up to the senior team, being named in Poland's provisional squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[18] His debut for the under-21 side only lasted twelve minutes – he was substituted in the 57th minute after picking up an injury while conceding the second goal in a 1–2 loss, which ruled him out of the tournament.[19]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 25 May 2024[20]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Puszcza Niepołomice (loan) | 2023–24 | Ekstraklasa | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
- ^ Includes FA Cup, Polish Cup
- ^ Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
[edit]Aston Villa U18
Individual
- Ekstraklasa Young Player of the Month: May 2024[21]
References
[edit]- ^ "2023/24 Premier League squad lists". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Oliwier Zych". Aston Villa Football Club. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Młody bramkarz wyjechał do Anglii. Aston Villa pozyskała Oliwiera Zycha" (in Polish). 16 August 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Zych joins Villa Academy". Aston Villa Football Club. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Aston Villa U18 - Liverpool U18 | 24 May 2021". Aston Villa Football Club. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Aston Villa Academy trio sign pro deals". Aston Villa Football Club. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Oliwier Zych signs new contract". Aston Villa Football Club. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Oliwier Zych seals season-long loan move". Aston Villa Football Club. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Puszcza Niepołomice vs. Slask Wroclaw - 15 September 2023 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "To nie prima aprilis! Gol bramkarza w Ekstraklasie! [WIDEO]". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "Tomasz Tułacz i Oliwier Zych nominowani do nagród sezonu!" (in Polish). Puszcza Niepołomice. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Oliwier Zych odchodzi z Puszczy". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ Townley, John (28 July 2024). "John Townley's Aston Villa player ratings after 4-1 Columbus Crew defeat". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ "U-16: Biało-czerwoni nie wezmą udziału w turnieju mistrzostw Ameryki Południowej - Reprezentacja młodzieżowa U-16". PZPN - Łączy nas piłka (in Polish). Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Aston Villa: Goalkeeper Oliwier Zych could be the heir to Emi Martinez". Villa News. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Rovers youngsters called up to Poland U19 squad for Euros". Lancashire Telegraph. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Reprezentacja młodzieżowa: Powołania na mecz towarzyski z Macedonią Północną". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Poland's national team coach reveals EURO 2024 squad". TVP World. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ Żukowski, Jacek (2 June 2024). "Kadra jednak bez Oliwiera Zycha. Wielki pech bramkarza Puszczy Niepołomice". gazetakrakowska.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "Poland -O.Zych - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Młodzieżowiec Maja PKO Banku Polskiego 2024 - Oliwier Zych (Puszcza Niepołomice)" (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.