With Sam Johnstone unlikely to return to Villa Park for the start of next season, and Pierluigi Gollini likely to move back to Italy permanently, the club will be looking out for a new number one in the summer.
Realistically we will be looking at loan deals or Bosman free transfers with players not demanding high salaries. It’s going to be a difficult task replacing our keeper, but with our limited resources, we’re going to have to be smart in the transfer market so let’s consider a few options:
1) Angus Gunn
A lot of teams in the Championship, and perhaps even in the Premier League, will be after the Manchester City stopper. He had an excellent season on loan at Norwich City, and it’s likely he’ll be loaned out again.
At 22 years of age, and with only one year of first-team experience under his belt, his wages won’t be huge either, but we would have a job to do to persuade him that moving to us is the best next step for his career.
2) Eldin Jakupovic
Signed by Leicester City for £2m from Hull City last summer, the former Swiss international spent most of last season playing reserve team football with Ben Hamer favoured as understudy to Kasper Schmeichel by Claude Puel.
Early last month, it was reported that 33-year-old will be leaving the King Power stadium with Cardiff, Derby, Middlesbrough and West Brom all said to be interested.
The stopper has two years left on his current contract, and if the Foxes can’t offload him on a permanent basis, it’s likely that he would leave on a loan deal.
3) Joel Robles
The Spaniard’s contract expires at the end of June, and his wages would not likely be an issue. He will be desperately seeking first-team football after making just two appearances for Everton in the Europa League last season.
In the 2016/17 campaign, he played 21 games in all competitions as he fought for the number one jersey with Maarten Stekelenburg. He has Premier League experience and he is just 27 years of age, so he may be one worth considering.
