According to The Mirror, Aston Villa are considering a move for veteran goalkeeper Brad Jones at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
What’s the story?
Sam Johnstone is currently Villa’s number one goalkeeper, with the 24-year-old impressing for the club since joining on loan from Manchester United.
It is understood that Villa have been told that it will take £6.5m to sign Johnstone on a permanent deal this summer, which would be very difficult for the club if they did not manage to secure promotion from the Championship this season.
According to The Mirror, Villa have a back-up option if they fail to sign Johnstone, with 35-year-old goalkeeper Jones in the mix.
The former Liverpool stopper helped Feyenoord win the Dutch title last term, but he will be out of contract at the end of next season, and Villa would hardly have to break the bank in order to sign the Australian at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
Would Jones be a good signing?
Jones has been in the professional game since 2001, and he represented Middlesbrough as a first-team player for nine years before leaving for Liverpool in 2010.
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The stopper only made 11 Premier League appearances during five years at Anfield, however, before joining Bradford City in 2015.
Jones moved away from the English game with NEC in 2016, before switching to Feyenoord, where he has helped the club win their first league title in 18 years.
The Australian’s form for Feyenoord has been very impressive, and it has previously been suggested that he would be open to a return to England this summer.
There is no question that Villa’s first choice is Johnstone, but Jones would be a decent option if Financial Fair Play restrictions prevented Steve Bruce’s side from spending big this summer.
