Heaton tipped to quit Aston Villa after big news emerges – Mills
Danny Mills has tipped Tom Heaton to quit Aston Villa in the summer in search of regular game time.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former England and Leeds United defender insisted the 34-year-old will want to get back to playing football after recovering from a knee injury.
Heaton has not featured for Aston Villa since suffering the injury against his former club Burnley last January.
His injury sparked a goalkeeper crisis at Villa Park last season but Dean Smith resolved that with the capture of Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal in the summer.
The Argentine has kept an impressive 14 clean sheets in the Premier League this season and Heaton has had to settle for a place on the bench.
The three-time England international arrived in the Midlands in 2019 and Smith admitted at the time he was “very surprised” they were able to pull off the signing.
His contract length was not disclosed but the Athletic report it is set to expire at the end of the season and Mills cannot see him agreeing to an extension.
He told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “He’s a great guy and a fantastic goalkeeper.
“After the injuries, he’s had he’s going to want to play, simple as that. That’s what he’ll want to do and that’s what he’ll start to look for, I imagine.
“I’d be very, very surprised if he’s still at Villa. Because of the injuries, he’ll just want to play and get back to playing football.”
Heaton has kept 28 clean sheets in 118 Premier League games across spells with Burnley and Villa.
This season he played four Under-23s games for Villa and kept one clean sheet in the process.
In other news, Christian Purslow may be about to make a “massive” Aston Villa mistake.