Aston Villa finally tied down USA starlet Indiana Vassilev after two years of trials at the Championship club – he could be worth the wait.
It has taken two years but Indiana Vassilev is finally an Aston Villa player.
The 17-year-old USA starlet has been having trials with the Midland giants since all the way back in November 2016, but, as stated on the Football Association’s official website, he has finally been handed a contract by Villa after impressing their scouts again at the U17 World Cup last year.
He was the USA’s stand-out performer as they reached the quarter-finals.
And if Vassilev’s former coach at the Florida-based IMG Academy is anything to go by, the skilful left-winger (below, far right) could be worth the wait for Villa fans.
“He understands what’s going on around him and it allows him to not only be better himself, but it makes the players around him better,” Kevin Hartman said in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
“He’s got great leadership qualities and he’s got an undying desire to win every time he plays. That competitiveness is an attribute that I think every coach is going to be looking for and it really drives development.
“His future is boundless. He has all the physical capabilities of a top level player. The attributes and the characteristics that he has within are the ones that will drive his development. I don’t see a limit to what he can achieve.”
This is very high praise for a player who is yet to make his senior debut in the professional game, but Vassilev, who was born to Bulgarian parents, could well be in the perfect place to realise that ‘boundless’ potential.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has shown a willingness to give youth a chance, and, should Vassilev prove himself at youth level, there is no reason to believe he could not follow Andre Green, Keinan Davis and co into the first team.
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