Nigel Spink: New keeper still an Aston Villa priority
Villa legend Nigel Spink reckons signing a new goalkeeper remains a priority despite the club handing Jed Steer a new contract.
Steer, a hero of the club’s promotion-winning campaign, last week signed a deal keeping him at Villa Park until 2023.
But European Cup-winning keeper Spink believes Dean Smith still needs to add another shot-stopper to the ranks to provide the 26-year-old with sufficient competition.
Stoke City’s Jack Butland and Cardiff City’s Neil Etheridge are among those on Villa’s list of targets.
Spink told the Express & Star: “I still think they need to sign another goalkeeper.
“I’m really pleased they gave Steer a new deal. It was the right thing to do and he certainly deserved it.
“He is still unproven in the Premier League and could well turn out to be good enough. But, if he were to have a bad start, you need to have a back-up and someone who can provide competition. Having a goalkeeper who can win you seven or eight points over the course of the season can be the difference between staying up or going down.”
Villa have signed both Orjan Nyland and Lovre Kalinic in the past 12 months.
But the latter has struggled to adapt and could depart this summer, while Nyland missed the second half of the season with a ruptured Achilles.
