Jed Steer eyes goalkeeper battle at Aston Villa

The 26-year-old made just his third league appearance for the club in the 2-2 New Year’s Day draw with QPR, having been recalled from a season-long loan at League One Charlton.

Kalinic, who has joined in a £5.4million move from Gent, is expected to make his debut in Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie with Swansea.

But Steer, who successfully unseated Dillon Phillips as Charlton’s first-choice earlier in the campaign, is ready to fight for the shirt.

“A new goalkeeper has come in and it is going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a battle,” he said.

“I want to play as many games as I can, so I am looking forward to that challenge. Dillon Phillips was there at Charlton. I knew I was going there to challenge and that is what I did.

“Fortunately the manager gave me the shirt after a few games and I kept hold of it. I’m coming back here a better keeper. It’s the same scenario here. The aim is to keep playing.”

Steer was recalled by Villa following the season-ending injury suffered by Orjan Nyland.

The Norwegian international is expected to undergo surgery next week after rupturing his Achilles during a warm-up session on Sunday morning.

Steer thanked Charlton for giving him regular first-team football, after a couple of years when his own career has been hampered by injury.

The Norwich academy product suffered a serious Achilles injury in 2016 and then missed several months last year with damaged ligaments.

“It is hard not playing and being out,” he said. “To get that run of games at Charlton, I have to thank Lee Bowyer for giving me the opportunity. It was a good time down there and this is a new challenge.”

He continued: “Missing that time out, you think you can be improving every day and you are not. To go back and get playing again, pick up the speed of play, was great.

“I know when I was going back to train, I was fit. From these long injuries there is a mental thing. If you go half-hearted it will show in your performance. You might as well go all out and have faith in your body.

“It was obviously tough (the time out). I had one injury and then unfortunately picked up another fluke one. It was unfortunate. But what will be will be. It has happened. Now I really want to kick on and progress my career.”