Milton Keynes Dons have announced the loan signing of goalkeeper Filip Marschall until the end of the season.
Marschall, 20, arrives at Stadium MK from Premier League side Aston Villa, for whom he made his European debut earlier this season, playing all 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Zrinjski Mostar in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Having featured prominently for Villa's youth setup, Marschall has earned himself first-team experience in non-league, playing under current Dons boss Mike Williamson at Gateshead over the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, where he played a part in the Heed's National League North title success.
With Dons keeper Craig MacGillivray joining Stevenage on loan, the Dons have moved quickly to secure the signing of a promising player who is comfortable with the ball at his feet - a key component of Williamson's preferred style of play.
Marschall also arrives at the Dons with some international experience, having featured twice for England Under-19s, while also training with Poland Under-19s in 2021.
Speaking of joining the Dons, Marschall commented: "I’m really excited to be here, it’s a great Club and I’ve heard good things from players that have been here previously."
"I’m a goalkeeper that likes to use my feet a lot and play football, it’s been the same for me throughout my time at Aston Villa and Gateshead. I like to play out from the back, and I know Mike (Williamson), Busty (Ian Watson), and Belly (Chris Bell) like to do the same here."
"At the same time, we also can’t look away from the fact that I’m also here to make saves and be reliable. I’m hoping to bring all of that here."
He concluded: "I’ve been playing senior football for a good period of time now and I’m going to try and use my experiences gained so far and my qualities to try and help the team any way I can."
On reuniting with Marschall, Williamson said: "Firstly, he’s a great guy to work with, and a very mature lad for such a young age."
"Both times I’ve previously signed him, I could see the improvement and the potential he’s got. He’s a great character, great with the ball at his feet, and is a physical unit too."
He added: "He'll be dominant, and it creates a healthy competition in the squad. We’re very grateful to Aston Villa for the loan and hopefully, we can repay them with the growth in him."
