Aston Villa are eyeing Feyenoord’s Brad Jones in case they remain in the Championship – but there is another Eredivisie goalkeeper Bruce should target?
If Aston Villa fail to earn promotion back to the big time this season, they will almost certainly need to sign a new goalkeeper this summer as it is very unlikely that they will be able to sign Sam Johnstone permanently if they are still in the Championship.
The Sun claims that Manchester United value the 24-year-old shot-stopper at a hefty £6.5 million, and it seems that Aston Villa have already started sounding out potential alternatives.
The Mirror reported recently that Steve Bruce had sent scouts to Holland to watch Feyenoord’s Brad Jones, the former Middlesbrough and Liverpool ‘keeper who helped the Rotterdam giants win their first Eredivise title of the 21st century last season.
36-year-old Jones has declined substantially in 2017/18, however, with his poor recent form encapsulated by a dreadful misplaced pass which gifted Twente a goal in the weekend’s Dutch top flight clash.
So if Aston Villa are to turn to the Eredivisie for a goalkeeper, how about a younger shot-stopper with a rising reputation? Someone like AZ Alkmaar’s Marco Bizot?
AZ might be one of the most free-flowing attacking sides in the league but they have the second best defence too with Bizot conceding just 32 goals in 30 games – better than runaway leaders PSV.
In fact, Bizot has been so impressive since moving to Alkmaar from Genk that he was called up for the Dutch national squad for the first time during the recent international break. And, compared to Jones, he would be a much more convincing long-term addition.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
