The Under-18 star has a long way to go before he reaches the Aston Villa first-team but Steve Bruce’s goalkeeping options are rather unconvincing.
Aston Villa have had some fine goalkeepers minding the nets in the Midlands since the turn of the century. From the solid Thomas Sorenson to the evergreen Brad Friedel, it’s just a shame that Steve Bruce cannot currently call on a shot-stopper with the same degree of reliability.
The Birmingham Mail claimed earlier in the month that Villa have sacrificed eleven points thanks to goalkeeping blunders this season with the uninspiring Mark Bunn and the unconvincing Sam Johnstone both failing to impress after youthful Italian Pierluigi Gollini had made one mistake too many.
Therefore, you wonder how long it will take before Villa perhaps start to think outside the box to rectify a problem that has plagued their season. After all, it’s not every day a youth team goalkeeper walks into the starting XI and immediately nails down his position.
Manny Idem is not Gianluigi Donnarumma. Yet, he is a very talented shot-stopper highly regarded within the walls of Bodymoor Heath, the Birmingham Mail report.
And, with his two-year scholarship expiring at the end of the season, the former Arsenal and Stoke City youngster, who joined in 2015, will be desperate to prove that he is worth keeping around the place.
After starring with the club’s Under-18 squad this season, Idem is certainly due an extended stay in claret and blue.
After all, with the club seemingly short of long-term options between the sticks, they could live to regret letting this talented shot-stopper leave before watching on helplessly as he develops away from Villa Park.
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