Revealed: Smith gives green light for Aston Villa to sell one of his signings

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Published on:

06 Sep 2019, 6:33 am

By Pete O'Rourke

Aston Villa will try again in January to sell Lovre Kalinic after failing to offload him during the summer window, Football Insider understands.

The Croatia international, 29, has slipped to fourth in the goalkeeper pecking order at Villa Park following the summer arrival of new number one Tom Heaton.

A Villa source has told Football Insider that Dean Smith has given the green light for Villa to cash in on the first permanent signing he made at the club.

The Premier League club tried to offload Kalinic in the summer but could not agree a deal despite interest from teams in Belgium and his native Croatia.

A winter exit is firmly on the cards for the keeper, given that he remains the Croatia number one and will be eager for game time ahead of Euro 2020.

Kalinic has made only eight Villa appearances since his arrival last December for £5million rising to a potential £7million, and has not played for the club since being substituted at half-time in February.

He has four more years remaining on his contract, but is so far down the pecking order he is not only behind Heaton, but also number two Jed Steer and Norwegian Orjan Nyland.

In other Aston Villa news, Football Insider can reveal that the club are in talks over agreeing a deal with a promising attacker.

Aston Villa