Yeovil Town have signed off another busy week of transfer activity with the addition of defender Loick Ayina on a season-long loan from Salford City.
The 23-year-old becomes the Glovers’ 12th signing of the summer – and the first loan arrival with the previous 11 joining on permanent deals – and is the sixth new boy with defensive qualities. Reports suggest Ayina is a right-sided centre back whose career with experience of playing in a back three.
The other arrivals were Joe Gubbins (left-sided centre back), Jack Kingdon (centre back), Archie Davies (right back), Jordan Norville-Williams (left back) and Hayden Muller, who has played in defence and midfield at Sutton United. Given the exits of Kyle Ferguson, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Alex Whittle and the more recent departure of former captain Jake Wannell, our defence will have a new look next season.
Having joined Salford last summer after his Huddersfield contract expired, the young defender made just three appearances off the bench in League Two – including getting substituted on and off again in an opening day debut which lasted just 27 minutes.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ayina was raised in Paris, France and came through the youth set-ups at a number of clubs before being brought to England by Huddersfield Town in 2019, signing professionally with them in 2020. The then 18-year-old had his first taste of professional football came in National League North in October 2021, picking up two Man of the Match awards in his four appearances, before returning to Huddersfield where he made his first-team debut in an FA Cup tie at Preston North End in January 2023.
Shortly after he began the first of two loan spells in the Scottish Premiership at Dundee United, making 13 appearances, before being sent up to Ross County in January 2024, starting 11 times. His loan spells north of the border gave Ayina experiences of big match atmospheres, twice starting against Rangers at Ibrox and an appearance at Celtic Park, picking up more than 2,000 minutes (roughly 25 matches) of experience.
Having signed for Salford last summer, he struggled for first-team minutes and played less than half-an-hour in League Two as his new employers recruited heavily in defence on their way to the division’s play-off final. Much of his game time last season came in the development teams at Moor Lane (if you were wondering where that odd social media tease came from!) and the departure of Karl Robinson as manager builds an unsettled picture.
One assumes he’s arrived at Huish Park on a ‘go and get games’ mission, and reports suggest he will bring speed, athleticism and right-sided central defensive cover.
Welcome to Somerset, Ayick!
So lets say 7 at the back, 2 picking their nose in midfield and 1 up front, cos we have only signed ONE striker!!!!
That’s definitely the concern at the moment.