Dean Smith makes first signing as Aston Villa Manager

If you are shopping for Christmas today — you’ve cut it a little close. Aston Villa, on the other hand, is ahead of the game announcing a January signing in December.

Head Coach Dean Smith is excited for Kalinic — ”He is an outstanding goalkeeper and we are looking forward to welcoming him when he joins at the beginning of January.” The reported price tag sent to Gent is €6m (5.4£/6.8$) (also 1,699 bitcoins because I know you wanted another currency number).

The Croatian international almost joined Villa a few times — mostly notably in 2016 when the FA decided to reject the move because they are inconsistent jerks.

On January 1 the 28-year-old will officially join Villa — and signed a deal until 2023. That is two years longer than the deal Ørjan Nyland signed when he joined this summer. There is also Andre Moreira who is with the club on loan from Atletico Madrid. Oh and Mark Bunn is still at the club. For those of you keeping track — that means Aston Villa have more first team goal keepers than center defenders. But I suppose that is a tangent into the unbalanced roster that Villa currently have.

It seems as if Kalinic will slot as the starter when Villa host QPR on January first — because why else bring him in. Some will cheer the move — personally I feel a little bad for Nyland who has certainly been inconsistent but solid in the back at times as well.