Championship promotion hopefuls Aston Villa are reportedly likely to sign England goalkeeper Tom Heaton from Premier League side Burnley in the transfer window.
It seemed for all the world that Jed Steer would be handed another chance at Aston Villa in the New Year.
According to the Birmingham Mail, manager Dean Smith was due to discuss the possibility of recalling the 26-year-old shot-stopper from his loan spell at Charlton Athletic in the January transfer window with goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler.
Steer has been excellent since moving to The Addicks, establishing himself as Lee Bowyer’s number one and causing many Villa fans to ask why he was ever allowed to leave.
But any hopes the former Norwich City youngster might have had about forcing his way into the Aston Villa starting XI in the second half of the season might have now been dealt a cruel blow.
Because, according to The Express, out-of-favour Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton is likely to join Dean Smith’s side in January with the Midland giants understood to be ahead of Leeds United in the chase for his signature.
The 32-year-old was Burnley’s first-choice and an England squad regular just over a year ago but has fallen to third in the pecking order after suffering a serious shoulder injury in late-2017. Heaton is now crying out for regular first-team football and would surely get that at Villa Park.
Steer, then, might be better off staying where he is. Because he has spent too much time in his career already stuck on the bench.
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