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96-cap international officially leaves PL club amid Aston Villa rumours

Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
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Wayne Hennessey of Crystal Palace saves from Erik Lamela of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on November 10,… (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Wayne Hennessey has officially left Crystal Palace today amid rumours that Aston Villa could sign him.

Palace confirmed on their Twitter account on Tuesday morning that the Wales international has left after seven years of service at the London club.

The 34-year-old, who has 96-caps to his name on the international stage, is being monitored by Aston Villa, according to the Birmingham Mail.

Villa have two experienced goalkeepers on their books – their number one, Emiliano Martinez, and their promotion-winning hero, Jed Steer.

Added with that, Tom Heaton recently departed for Manchester United and Lovre Kalinic is going to spend another season at Hajduk Split.

It seems as though Dean Smith wants three experienced shot-stoppers on his books for the forthcoming campaign, which brings Hennessey into the equation.

In terms of quality, Hennessey probably isn’t going to be a number one at a Premier League club now, but he would more than fit the bill as a squad player.

From the outside, it may seem a little excessive from Villa for wanting three keepers of that experience, but Smith simply cannot take risks.

From the day Smith took charge in 2018, both in the Championship and the Premier League, he has witnessed three season-ending injuries to his goalkeepers.

Two of them occurred during Villa’s first season back in the big time when Steer and Heaton were stretchered off against Wolves and Burnley, respectively.