Aston Villa swoop to snap up teen starlet Kyrie Pierre from Bristol Rovers academy
Villa have further bolstered their youth ranks by spending a six-figure fee on midfielder Kyrie Pierre from Bristol Rovers.
The 15-year-old has joined in a deal which the League One club have described as ‘a record’ for their academy.
Pierre will initially join Villa’s under-18 team and then look to make his way into the under-23 team next season.
“We are delighted that Kyrie has joined us,” said Villa academy boss Mark Harrison. “He is somebody we believe has a lot of potential and we look forward to seeing him work hard to fulfil it.
“We would also like to thank Bristol Rovers for allowing us the opportunity to sign him.”
Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have invested heavily in the club’s academy since their 2018 takeover and a particular emphasis has been placed on unearthing the best young talent both locally and further afield.
In the past 12 months that has included, among others, the signings of full-back Ben Chrisene from Exeter and defender Sil Swinkels from Vitesse Arnhem.
Both have been part of the under-18s team which has reached the final of this season’s FA Youth Cup, with Villa set to take on Liverpool for the trophy later this month.
Pierre had caught the eye of Villa’s scouts while playing for Rovers under-18s team.
“Kyrie is a fantastic young man and a very capable player and everyone at the academy is delighted for him to be joining such a historic football club,” said Rovers academy manager Chris Hargreaves. “Having spoken to Mark Harrison at Aston Villa, we wanted to allow Kyrie and his family the opportunity to speak to the club.
“Both Mark and I have built a good relationship and look forward to working together over the coming years. The move works for both parties.
“This is a record fee for our academy and means that the academy can look to become more sustainable and fit the brief of producing high-quality players that can play in our first team, whilst being realistic that in a competitive marketplace, players may have the opportunity to develop at Premier League clubs.
“It is all about the player in these situations and we wish Kyrie and his family the best of luck going forward and we will be keeping a keen eye on his progression.”
