Wolves goalkeeper Matija Sarkic while playing for Livingston earlier this season. (Image Credits: Livingston Football Club)
During an interview with Montenegrin outlet Vijesti (h/t Birmingham Mail), Aston Villa goalkeeper Matija Sarkic has said that he intends to leave the club when his current deal expires.
The 22-year-old Sarkic has been at Aston Villa since 2015 but has never played for the first-team yet. Instead, he has been sent out mostly on loans to other clubs in order to gain experience. The young shot-stopper, who has played over 54 matches for the Villa reserves, has had loan spells with sides such as Wigan, Stratford Town, Havant & Waterlooville FC, and most recently with Livingston.
After being on the sidelines for so long, Sarkic finally found his big opportunity to prove his worth when he earned a move to Livingston last summer. The youngster was enjoying a successful loan spell at the Scottish side, featuring 14 times in the Premiership and keeping six clean sheets. when, in January, he was recalled following Tom Heaton’s serious knee injury.
Despite being recalled, Sarkic still found himself warming the benches after arriving at Villa Park. The Villans even brought experienced campaigner Pepe Reina from AC Milan on loan ultimately making him the side’s first-choice man in the absence of Heaton.
Villa also gave opportunities to Orjan Nyland and Jed Steer, with young Sarkic now falling way down the pecking order under manager Dean Smith. Being on the sidelines for so long seems to have frustrated Sarkic, who is now keen on moving somewhere else.
The youngster is eager to kick start his career by establishing himself as a first-choice keeper at some other club amidst interests from sides such as Sunderland and Blackpool. Also, with his current deal with Villa set to expire next month, Sarkic is hopeful that he could make the switch to a new place.
Villa are facing an almost certain relegation back to the Championship after earning promotion just last season. They have endured a difficult spell in the league this season that has seen the side slip to a lowly 19th – just one spot above bottom-placers Norwich City.
Dean Smith’s side already have as many as five goalkeepers in their midst including Sarkic, meaning opportunities will be even limited for the youngster in the coming days. Heaton remains the side’s first-choice man and it is only a matter of time he returns from his injuries.
With seasoned keepers Steer, Nyland waiting in line, Sarkic will find it extremely difficult to break into the first-team. The youngster thus looks surplus to the club’s requirements and it would be foolish of Villa to keep hold of him any longer.
With Villa already well stacked in the goal-keeping department, Sarkic’s chances of establishing himself as a regular seem very bleak. They should rather let go of him and save themselves some money and time. Villa can use that money to rather invest in areas that need strengthening ahead of next season.
