Aston Villa youngster Indiana Vassilev has signed a new two-year deal with the club after forcing his way into the first-team squad.
Dean Smith turned to the young forward earlier this year after an injury crisis left him short of options in attack, and Vassilev – who was born in Georgia but is a US Under 20s international – did enough in his four appearances to earn an improved contract.
The 19-year-old said: ‘It was difficult. I'm not going to say that it was a smooth and easy transition, it's going to be difficult.
‘I was a young player going into a very experienced squad.