Aston Villa’s goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler has admitted that he feels sympathy for out-of-favour goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, telling the Birmingham Mail that the Croatian international has endured a ‘frustrating’ time in the Midlands.
You can say that again.
When Villa paid £7 million to sign a 6ft 7ins shot-stopper from Gent in January 2019, it was with the intention that Kalinic would be the club’s number one for years to come.
Instead, he lasted just eight games between the sticks before Dean Smith lost faith and replaced him with Jed Steer. Kalinic’s Villa career started dreadfully, with a 3-0 thumping at home to Swansea City in the FA Cup, and got worse from there.
These days, the 30-year-old is out on loan at Toulouse in France but luck continues to desert him. Kalinic played just four times for Les Violets before the Ligue 1 season was brought to a premature conclusion.
Just to add insult to injury, Toulouse were relegated.
“I really feel sorry for him, he’s a great guy with really good attributes. It was important he went out and got games,” Cutler says, his stance understandable.
“It’s been frustrating for him. He came in at a time when were weren’t playing great, obviously Jed came in who was excellent and consistent.”
With Tom Heaton, Orjan Nyland, Steer and even youngster Viljami Sinisalo ahead of him in the pecking order these days, Kalinic has surely played his final game for Aston Villa already.
But, with his contract due to run until 2023, finding a buyer in this market could be easier said than done. If Kalinic does go, it will be for a lot, lot less than that £7 million outlay.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
