A product of the Aston Villa academy, Birmingham-born Delfouneso played just five games on-loan at Leicester, all from the bench, and failed to score a single goal in what was largely an unsuccessful transfer for Foxes boss Nigel Pearson.

He featured throughout the England youth teams, most notably for the under-19s where he scored nine goals in 25 appearances and came through the Villa ranks as a real hot prospect. He scored 22 goals in 41 appearances for the Villa academy before getting his chance with the first team, in a UEFA Cup tie. He became the youngest player to represent Villa in European competition at just 17 years and 195 days of age.

He broke on to the first-team scene at Villa Park in the 2008-09 season and became a regular squad player. Before his loan move to the Foxes he enjoyed another, slightly more successful loan stint at Burnley, scoring once in eleven appearances for the Turf Moor club.