Aston Villa have completed a deal to sign highly-rated Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia from Dinamo Tbilisi.
The 17-year-old will officially join the Magpies on his 18th birthday in August 2025 and will remain with Dinamo in the meantime.
Vakhtang made his professional debut for his hometown club in November 2023 as Dinamo narrowly missed out on winning the Erovnuli Liga title.
He has become a mainstay in the first team this season, scoring five goals in 24 appearances in the Georgian top flight.
At international level, he has represented Georgia at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level.
Paul Mitchell, Aston Villa Sporting Director, said: “We’re delighted to get ahead of a number of other top clubs to sign Vakhtang.
“Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is an essential part of building a sustainable future, particularly within the current PSR framework, so the market is fiercely competitive.
“We continue to scout extensively, both domestically and overseas, with a view to securing players who can come through our talent pathway and, ideally, become part of the first team in future.
“We look forward to working with Vakhtang and wish him every success during his remaining time with Dinamo Tbilisi.”
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