Birmingham, Oct 27 (IANS) Aston Villa have confirmed that defender Matty Cash has signed a new long-term contract that will keep him at the club until 2029, extending his stay beyond five seasons in Claret and Blue.

In an official statement, the club said, “Aston Villa is delighted to announce that Matty Cash has signed a new contract with the club. The defender has agreed a deal that will keep him at Villa until 2029.”

A Poland international who featured at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Cash joined Villa from Nottingham Forest in September 2020 after coming through the academy ranks at the City Ground. He made 141 appearances for Forest before his move to Villa, where he has since developed into one of the Premier League’s most dependable full-backs.

Now closing in on 200 appearances in Claret and Blue, Cash has scored 12 goals and provided 12 assists for the club. His influence has been particularly strong this season, contributing key moments in Villa’s recent surge up the table.

The 28-year-old provided a superb long pass that led to Emiliano Buendía’s winner against Brighton on October 19 and netted the decisive goal in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City, earning back-to-back player of the match awards.

Under Unai Emery, Cash has adapted his game to a more tactical role as an inverted right-back, forming part of a back three in possession. Despite the positional shift limiting some of his forward runs, Emery has shown great faith in his defensive discipline and intelligence in key fixtures.

While there was reported interest from AC Milan last summer, Emery was keen to keep Cash as his first-choice right-back. With the player entering the final two years of his previous contract, the extension comes as a logical move for a cornerstone of Villa’s setup.

Aston Villa’s strong form continues, with the team having won their last four Premier League games to sit eighth in the standings. They next face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday as Emery’s side looks to sustain their momentum.

–IANS

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