Manchester United are interested in bringing back Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton back to Old Trafford.
That’s according to The Telegraph‘s reliable Midlands football reporter John Percy.
Heaton came through the United academy but didn’t make a senior appearance for the Red Devils before leaving permanently in 2012.
Now they’ve apparently identified him as an experienced deputy to Dean Henderson if David de Gea leaves the club in the summer.
Injury cost Heaton Villa no. 1 spot
Heaton missed almost the entirety of 2020 with a cruciate ligament injury.
He sustained the damage in a New Year’s Day clash with Burnley and didn’t return to the Villa squad until Boxing Day.
The 35-year-old was the team’s no. 1 prior to that injury but Emiliano Martinez now has the spot tied down and isn’t going anywhere soon – the former Arsenal man is the club’s third-best performer according to Whoscored (excluding players with less than five appearances).
Percy also reports that United could look to bring back Sam Johnstone as competition for Henderson, but West Bromwich Albion are demanding £20million, hence the interest in the cheaper option of Heaton.
Fan feed Villa Report relayed the news, and here’s how fans reacted.
These Villa fans react to Heaton to United rumour
“He’s no2 here, why join a club where he’s going to be no2, strange one”
Credit: @steveparkes1958
Advertisement(function(){var ids=["snack_dex5","snack_dex6"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-d:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); (function(){var ids=["snack_mex4","snack_mex5","snack_mex6","snack_mex7"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-m:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); “Don’t understand the move. Makes no sense other than to sit on another bench? I love Heats, but I question the move.”
Credit: @amc89avfc
“Doesn’t he want 1st team football??”
Advertisement(function(){var ids=["snack_dex5","snack_dex6"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-d:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); (function(){var ids=["snack_mex4","snack_mex5","snack_mex6","snack_mex7"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-m:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); Credit: @fokkos2
“Heaton is far too good a keeper to be back up..deserves to be playing every week”
Credit: @jd70000
Advertisement(function(){var ids=["snack_dex5","snack_dex6"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-d:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); (function(){var ids=["snack_mex4","snack_mex5","snack_mex6","snack_mex7"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-m:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); “It’s useless, Heaton won’t get a place in the starting XI”
Credit: @aku_kentank1
Advertisement(function(){var ids=["snack_dex5","snack_dex6"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-d:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); (function(){var ids=["snack_mex4","snack_mex5","snack_mex6","snack_mex7"];var els=document.querySelectorAll("div.snack-rpt-m:not([id])");for(var i=0;i<els.length&&i<ids.length;i++){els[i].id=ids[i];}})(); “Don’t know how I feel about this. If he’s going to leave just to be a back up elsewhere I’d want him to stay”
Credit: @TheChillVillan
In other news, Villa have been named as favourites to land this Premier League star.
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