The giant goalkeeper was rejected a work permit to join Aston Villa earlier this year.
Picture Supplied by Action Images
A former transfer target of Aston Villa’s, who had actually signed a contract to join the club in the winter, has agreed a new deal with his current club.
In January Aston Villa agreed a deal with the 6ft 7ins Croatian international Lovre Kalinic.
The giant goalkeeper had been in talks with Villa for some time and the Daily Mail reported that a £4.9 million fee had been agreed between Villa and his club, Hajduk Split.
It soon emerged however that Kalinic would not be making the move. As reported by Index Kalinic did not have the requisite qualifications to be eligible for a work permit to play football in the UK. He had not fulfilled the quota of playing 75 per cent of games for Croatia in the past two years – playing just once.
Pierluigi Gollini of Aston Villa applauds the fans after the game
Since then Aston Villa have been relegated and signed a new goalie in Pierluigi Gollini this summer. Now any potential return for Kalinic has been ruined by the player’s decision to sign a new deal with his current club Hajduk.
The new deal will keep him at the club until 2021 and would seemingly put a final nail in the coffin regarding any future Aston Villa switch.
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