Dean Smith’s Aston Villa are reportedly set to sign England goalkeeper Tom Heaton from Premier League rivals Burnley.
Dean Saunders could not be happier to see Aston Villa on the verge of signing Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton, admitting to talkSPORT that he is a long-time fan of the England international.
Dean Smith’s side have bought players since being promoted to the Premier League in May and it seems only a matter of time before Heaton becomes number eleven.
It is no secret that Aston Villa have been looking to bring in a top quality shot-stopper with Premier League experience, particularly given the struggles endured by Lovre Kalinic and Orjan Nyland last season.
And 33-year-old Heaton, despite his advanced years, ticks a lot of boxes.
Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (31 July, 9.30am), former Villa striker Saunders has admitted that he tried and failed to sign Heaton during his spell as Doncaster Rovers’ manager in 2012 while opening up on his admiration for a reliable and evergreen goalkeeper.
“He was offered double the wages to go to Bristol City (in 2012) and he was that far away from signing for me (at Doncaster) instead because he wanted to play. He was going to bin the money to come and play,” Saunders said.
“He’s a good goalkeeper. He gets the basics right, he’s a good pro. He trains property, he has a real good attitude.”
According to the Telegraph, Aston Villa are set to pay £8 million for Heaton with the one-time Manchester United youngster likely to undergo a medical on Wednesday.
Smith and co have already brought in a £22 million striker, three new centre-backs, an exciting defensive midfielder in Douglas Luiz and a much-needed left-back in Matt Targett.
Heaton, then, feels like the final piece of the jigsaw.
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