Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen admits that he’s planning to return to Malmo when his time in the Premier League comes to an end, speaking to Fotboll Skanalen.
It’s been a strange couple of years for Olsen.
A consistent presence between the sticks for the Sweden national team, his life at club level has been anything but ‘consistent’.
After falling out of favour at Roma, Olsen joined Everton on loan for the 2020/21 season.
But, despite producing a number of solid displays under Carlo Ancelotti – and his own desire to stay for longer at Goodison Park – Everton decided against offering the 32-year-old a full-time deal.
Flash forward to the present day and Olsen’s future is as uncertain now as it was back then. He’s yet to play a minute of football since joining Aston Villa in the January transfer window and, with a return to the Stadio Olimpico looming, must be fearing that history may be about to repeat itself.
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Will Robin Olsen stay at Aston Villa?
“I know how good (fellow Aston Villa goalkeeper) Emiliano Martinez is,” explains Olsen. “But I thought a little further ahead and wanted to find form again.
“There was no doubt when Aston Villa appeared. I train very hard there. I was very happy at Everton, but then there were things there that made it no longer (possible to stay). That’s how it is. There’s nothing I can do about it.
“I got the opportunity to go to Aston Villa instead, and I’m very happy about that. If I get the chance (to sign a permanent deal), I know I’m prepared.”
Olsen played some of the best football of his career back home in Malmo, winning the Allsvenskan Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2014 along with a pair of league titles.
And though Olsen believes he still has time left at the top level, a return to his old stomping ground certainly holds plenty of appeal.
“We’ll see. I’m not closing doors (to Swedish clubs),” Olsen adds.
“I feel like I have a few years left abroad but, absolutely, those are thoughts that have come. You get older, and then it becomes natural to think about when to come home. After all, you want to end the circle.
“When it will be, I do not know. But it will not be long. It will be Malmo.”
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