Young Burnley F.C. star defender Aryn Williams has set his sights on following in the footsteps of his brothers Rhys and Ryan by joining them in the green and gold.
So far Aryn’s older brother Rhys, the Middlesbrough defender, and his twin Ryan, the Fulham attacking midfielder, have captured most of the limelight.
Twenty-four year-old Rhys has made 10 appearances for the Socceroos, after making his debut in 2009, and has earned rave reviews for his displays in the English Championship with ‘Boro. He has also been tipped by some as a potential future Socceroo captain and been a transfer target for top clubs.
Nineteen year-old Ryan is contracted to English Premier League side Fulham and recently starred for the Young Socceroos, helping the Australian Under-20 team qualify for next year’s U20 World Cup.
Aryn, who is eligible for Australia, Wales, England and India, has yet to play for any country but the versatile player, who can play in both defence and midfield, says his first choice is Australia.
The former ECU Joondalup junior has been quietly building a promising career in the UK for the past three years.
Aryn moved to England as a 16-year old and joined Burnley’s Academy in 2009. He was a regular feature in the successful Burnley side that reached the semi-finals of the 2011/2012 FA Youth Cup. The Western Australian product’s progression has been noted by the club and he was rewarded with a professional contract in May this year.
In the past few months he has appeared for Burnley’s Development Team against the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Glasgow Celtic.
The Roar chatted with Aryn recently about his time at the Championship club, how he ended up in Lancashire, his footballing family and his goals for the future.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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