Andres Garcia and Oliwier Zych are settling into life abroad after Aston Villa sent both players out on loan before the summer transfer window closed on 1 September. According to Sport Witness, the pair have already accumulated valuable minutes in Spain and Portugal respectively, with no Premier League business possible again until January 2027.
Garcia, 23, joined Getafe in mid-July for his first loan spell away from Villa Park. After managing roughly 100 minutes for Aston Villa last season due to fitness issues and selection decisions, he has already tripled that tally in Spain. The versatile defender has featured on the right side in both attacking and deeper roles, playing 80 minutes in an opening-day defeat to Alaves before scoring an 87th-minute goal against Partizan Belgrade in a Europa League qualifier.
Zych, meanwhile, is experiencing his third loan move since arriving at Villa in 2023, but his first outside Poland. The 22-year-old goalkeeper has been ever-present for Vitoria in Liga Portugal, completing all four league matches so far. He has conceded five goals and kept one clean sheet during that run.
Vitoria sit 12th in the table after three defeats and a single victory. Sport Witness notes that criticism has largely fallen on the outfield defenders rather than the Villa loanee, whose performances have generally been rated as comparable to those around him. A narrow win over Nacional saw him relatively untested, while losses to Sporting CP and Braga provided stiffer examinations.
Both moves were arranged to give the players consistent competitive football. With the window now shut, Garcia and Zych will remain at their respective clubs until at least the new year, continuing their development away from Unai Emery's squad.
