Portsmouth youngster signs three-year Aston Villa deal after heartbreaking Fratton Park exit

A promising goalkeeper released by Pompey has found himself a new club - Aston Villa.

Ex-Blues under-16 player Jack Allan suffered heartbreak at Christmas when he was informed he wouldn’t be offered scholarship terms at the end of the season.

Instead Pompey’s Academy opted for goalkeeping rival Oscar Glover to progress into next year's under-18s.

As a consequence, Allan looked elsewhere to progress his football career, earning a trial at Villa - and the Premier League club snapped him up after three weeks.

Last week, the youngster signed a three-year contract, consisting of a two-year scholarship and then first-year professional terms.

He then linked up with Villa’s under-17s for a tournament in Egypt to kick off his new challenge.

In recent years, Pompey’s youth goalkeeping department has been spearheaded by the highly-promising Toby Steward.

The 19-year-old has long been part of the first-team set-up, despite yet to make his debut, having been fast tracked from the youth set-up.

However, second-year scholars Bastian Smith and Malachi Osei-Owusu will both leave at the season’s end upon their Academy graduation, having not been offered terms.

The Blues also have high hopes for Oscar Glover, who earned the nod ahead of Allan to become a scholar from July.

The goalkeeper started against Folland Sports in the Hampshire Senior Cup in November, in a side consisting of first and second-year scholars.

However, with the match heading into a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw, he was replaced by Smith - a year his senior - for penalties against the Wessex League Division One side.

Sam Hudson’s men went on to lose 5-4 on spot-kicks to be eliminated.