Heat on as keeper weighs up future

VILLA keeper Tom Heaton could opt to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Head coach Dean Smith has confirmed Heaton is set for talks over his future with sporting director Johan Lange, along with Ahmed Elmohamady and Neil Taylor whose deals are also up.

The 35-year-old has been back-up to Emiliano Martinez since recovering from a serious knee injury. The £8 million signing from Burnley has not made a senior appearance since New Year’s Day 2020.

Former Villa favourite Alan Hutton said: “This is a problem, you need to remember Tom Heaton was brought in as number one.

“He was signed for £8 million to be the Aston Villa number one. Obviously injury, you can’t help it, it is what it is. Martinez has come in and he’s been outstanding so it’s one of those where you have to just wait.

“There’s nothing you can do about it. Martinez is now number one so it looks like Tom Heaton’s game-time is going to be a lot shorter.

“At his age, you want to be playing football. That’s why he came to Villa, to play football and it’s not quite worked out.

“My understanding is Villa will be desperate to keep him because he’s excellent. So, it’s difficult to keep two players of that stature happy.

Whether he stays, we’ll have to wait and see.

“Factoring everything in, I’m pretty sure he’ll want to play. I think it’ll be difficult to keep hold of him.”

Hutton reckons Martinez has at least doubled his value since joining the club from Arsenal last summer. Villa signed the Argentine in a deal that could be worth £20 million, including add-ons.

“Double your money, easily,” he added. “If we’re talking £20 million, are we then talking £40 million here?”