Reported Sunderland target Matija Sarkic has admitted that he plans to leave Aston Villa when his contract expires this summer and wants to be the first-choice goalkeeper at his next club, in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
At the age of 22, it seems the Grimsby-born Montenegro international has grown tired of waiting for an opportunity to arise at Villa Park.
Even if Pepe Reina is set to return to AC Milan sooner rather than later, Tom Heaton, Orjan Nyland and Jed Steer are likely to stay for another year in the Midlands, while young Fin Viljami Sinisalo has turned plenty of heads behind the scenes at Bodymoor Heath.
No wonder Sarkic feels that the time is right to move on as he looks to finally secure first-team football on a weekly basis.
Sunderland, who are set to lose veteran Scot Jon McLaughlin when he becomes a free agent in July, could offer Sarkic exactly that, with The Sun (24 May, page 59) reporting that the former Anderlecht youngster could be offered a fresh start in League One.
“I think that there will be little space for a real chance in Aston Villa in the future so I plan to go, despite the club’s desire to extend my contract, which expires at the end of June,” Sarkic tells The Mail.
“Now I am diligently preparing for the status I want, and that is the first goalkeeper. There is interest, both in England and abroad.
“Aston Villa is now one of the four richest clubs. The ambitions are great, and the competition is already huge.”
While the sample size is small, Sarkic was a revelation during a loan spell at Livingston in the first half of the season, conceding just 18 goals in 14 Scottish Premiership games while keeping six clean sheets.
Sarkic even grabbed an assist, some feat for a goalkeeper, as Livi beat Celtic for the first time in their history in the autumn.
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