Dan Bardell baffled by Aston Villa transfer decision as Filip Marschall loan exit confirmed at Villa Park
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Dan Bardell was confused by the decision to sanction a loan move for keeper Filip Marschall without Aston Villa having a replacement lined up.
Villa confirmed on their website on 19 January that the 20-year-old, who made his debut in the Europa Conference League this season, has joined League Two side MK Dons on loan until the end of the campaign.
The Villans were heavily linked with a move for 22-year-old Hakon Valdimarsson, but the Icelandic stopper instead decided to join fellow Premier League club Brentford from Swedish side Elfsborg in a £2.6million deal on 26 January [BBC Sport].
Bardell believes Villa need to find an upgrade for second-choice keeper Robin Olsen, adding that the goalkeeping department has now been weakened following the temporary departure of Marschall.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “I was confused by it because Marschall went out on loan to MK Dons. He’d obviously played in the Europa Conference League and filled in on the bench a couple of times when Olsen was injured.
“It looked like Villa seemed to be the favourites in this deal. The fact they let Marschall go led me to believe that there would be something in the pipeline, but he’s gone to Brentford knowing that he’ll go immediately into the first-team squad, that’s the line.
“I suspect he’ll go to Brentford and become number-two goalkeeper, whereas maybe Villa said to him he’s going to be number three for a bit and then maybe look to move you up next season.
“He’s chosen Brentford, who are a really good club and have a history of developing players, so he’s decided to go there. But overall, in my opinion, it’s clear that Villa need an upgrade on their second-choice goalkeeper and they now don’t have a third-choice goalkeeper.
“I think they won’t make Olsen third choice because of the wage that he’s on, they’ll want to keep him as number two, so it’s kind of back to the drawing board really on the goalkeeper front.
“But they’ve now weakened the department by letting Marschall go out on loan.”
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