Merthyr Town Football Club are delighted to announce the loan signing of Newport County forward, Kiban Rai until the end of the season, subject to EFL and Southern League approval.

Kiban, 20 years of age, joined the academy at Newport County at the age of 15, after spending his early years of junior football at Merthyr Town academy, here at Penydarren Park. Rai quickly made a name for himself at Rodney Parade on 29th August 2023, when he scored his first goal for Newport County in dramatic fashion, netting a 96th-minute equaliser in an EFL Cup match against Premier League side Brentford. Rai's late strike demonstrated his ability to perform on the big stage and underscored his potential for the future, leading to him signing his first professional contract with the County in 2023. Since signing, Kiban has made a total of 21 first team appearances for Newport County.

Rai was born in Brecon, and he also qualifies to represent Nepal through his parents. Kiban’s father was a British Army Gurkha, and in 2023 Kiban Rai became the first player of Nepalese descent to sign a professional contract in the Premier League or EFL when he singed his first professional contract with Newport County.

Speaking after securing the loan signing, Paul Michael said, “Kiban is a fantastic talent who has shown glimpses of that with Newport’s first team over the past couple of seasons. We are delighted to be the club that has the opportunity to give him more senior exposure to continue his development over the next few months.

I believe the deal will suit both parties as I think Kiban can really help our group achieve its goals, whilst we can help him gain valuable experience and provide an environment to flourish.”

Merthyr Town Football Club would like to thank Newport County for their assistance throughout the transfer process.