The Croatian international was blocked from making the move to Aston Villa.
Goalkeeping errors have cost Aston Villa an alarming eleven points in the Championship this season, the Birmingham Mail report.
Without the fumbles, the flaps and the miscued clearances, Steve Bruce’s side would be just two points shy of the play-off positions. As it is, they’ve lost four of their last five games and have kept just one clean sheet in 16.
Sam Johnstone, the January loan signing from Manchester United, was subjected to intense scrutiny after gifting Britt Assombalonga a goal in a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last week (below) while Mark Bunn and Pierluigi Gollini failed to fully convince in the first half of the season.
Therefore, it’s tempting to wonder how different their fortunes would be had Lovre Kalinic’s £4.9 million move from Hajduk Split not been halted by work permit issues in January last year, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
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The publication adds that the FA prevented Villa from getting the deal over the line because they were not convinced that Kalinic had proven himself as an ‘elite’ player despite his status as Croatia’s second choice goalkeeper. They were more than happy to ratify the likes of Marko Grujic, Kenedy and Oumar Niasse, however.
Since then, 26-year-old Kalinic has become the most expensive player in the history of Belgian side Gent and is starting to impose himself upon the national team. In fact, many have tipped him to be Croatia’s number one for years to come.
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Meanwhile, Villa are facing up to the prospect of beginning next season without a first-choice goalkeeper.
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