Aston Villa outcast Pierluigi Gollini is in need of a fresh start in Serie A – but Sunderland’s Vito Mannone could ruin his hopes.
After an impressive debut campaign with Sunderland in 2013/14, Vito Mannone looked to be developing into one of the top flight’s most reliable goalkeepers. However, two disastrous, error-strewn and injury-riddled seasons later, the Italian could hardly be further away from challenging undisputed number one Jordan Pickford for a place between the sticks.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that he is being linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light. And, according to Tuttomercatoweb, one club interested in bringing Mannone back to Serie A is this season’s surprise packages Atalanta.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s unassuming side are still in the hunt for European qualification thanks to a squad brimming with young, largely homegrown, talent.
And it’s not as if Atalanta don’t have plenty to choose from in goal at the current time. Lazio loanee Etrit Berisha has been in fine form this season with Marco Sportiello, tipped to challenge for international honours, stuck on the bench.
Therefore, if Mannone does indeed make the move to Bergamo, it could have serious ramifications for Aston Villa. After all, their 22-year-old goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini has only featured once for Atalanta since joining on loan in January after falling out of favour under Steve Bruce.
Yet, with Berisha seemingly set to return to parent club Lazio at the end of the season, it appears that Mannone would be signed as the club’s new number one.
As a result, Gollini, who has agreed to stay in Serie A for the whole of next season, would be pushed further down the pecking order.
With Villa aiming to sign Manchester United loanee Sam Johnstone on a permanent deal after conceding just twice in his last nine games, as reported by the Daily Mail, Gollini appears to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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