Exclusive: Wolves open talks to sign Aston Villa player

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Published on:

09 Jun 2020, 1:30 am

Wolves have opened talks to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, Football Insider has learned.

The Montenegrin, 22, has made up his mind to quit Villa Park when his contract expires at the end of this month.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Wolves are among the clubs hopeful of landing Sarkic on a free transfer.

Discussions are underway over a deal that would see Sarkic join from 1 July.

Capped by Montenegro at youth international level, the keeper has alternative options on the table in Britain and overseas.

At Wolves, Portugal's Rui Patricio is the preferred choice of boss Nuno Espirito Santo and has started all 29 of the club's Premier League matches this season.

His deputy John Ruddy has been almost exclusively limited to the cup competitions over the last two campaigns.

But Wolves last month took up their option to extend the 33-year-old's contract by another 12 months.

Wolves are likely to see Sarkic as a promising keeper who can initially provide cover for the two senior men while he continues to learn his trade.

The keeper has been at Villa since 2015 but has never played for their first team.

He spent the first half of this season on loan at SPL club Livingston but was recalled by his parent club in January when Tom Heaton suffered a serious knee injury that has ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Sarkic has made the bench on one occasion for Villa, in an FA Cup tie in January, but has otherwise failed to even make the matchday squad.

In other Aston Villa news, an attacking player who has had an impressive season is set to quit as well after rejecting a new deal.

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