Players on trial for the U21s after going down

LEICESTER City’s Under-21s have taken on a series of trialists over the past few weeks as they prepare for life in Premier League 2 Division 2 next season, writes Jordan Blackwell.

With relegation confirmed, Ben Petty’s youngsters fielded three different trialists in their final three games of the campaign.

First, Manchester United forward Manni Norkett played the first half of the 2-0 loss to West Ham, and then released Aston Villa midfielder Arjan Raikhy played 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw at United.

A third, unnamed trialist represented City as they concluded their season with a 2-0 win at Everton on Monday, Tawanda Maswanhise scoring from the penalty spot before Wanya MarcalMadivadua curled into the net directly from a corner.

Coming from Aston Villa, Raikhy follows a familiar path among young players in City’s development squad. Lewis Brunt and Paul Appiah also made the switch from Villa, with Petty formerly a coach in their youth set-up.

Raikhy, 20, won the FA Youth Cup with Villa in 2021, and was one of the young players who made their senior debut in the FA Cup against Liverpool when the senior players were hit with Covid.

He went out on loan to Stockport and Grimsby in the National League last season, earning promotion with the latter, but has been back with Villa’s Under-21s this season.

Those that featured in the Premier League 2 matches are not the players City are looking at though. The club have also taken 20-year-old centre-back Harry Williams on trial for a few days after he impressed with non-league side Alvechurch this term.

Williams is a former England youth international but after being released from West Brom’s academy, and then spending just a season with Burnley, he’s had a season of men’s football with Alvechurch, impressing enough for City to want to look at him.

There is EFL and Scottish Premiership interest in him, so if City do like him, they will face competition to keep him, with other clubs able to offer senior football.