---
title: "Villa willing to include Kalinic in £9m Rongier deal"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2019/06/27/villa-willing-to-include-kalinic-in-9m-rongier-deal/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2019-06-27T15:31:33Z"
modified: "2019-06-27T15:31:34Z"
---

# Villa willing to include Kalinic in £9m Rongier deal

Aston Villa are reportedly willing to pay Nantes £9m and include goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic in a deal for long-term target Valentin Rongier this summer.

According to reports in the [Croatian media, cited by the Birmingham Mail](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/valentin-rongier-aston-villa-transfer-16497316), Villa are willing to allow Kalinic to head to France in a bid to tempt the Ligue 1 side into selling the highly-rated midfielder.

![Marc Atkins/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readastonvilla.com/readastonvilla/2019/06/1077881828.jpg)

Kalinic made the move to the Midlands in January from Belgian side Gent in a deal worth £5m, however, the towering keeper made just eight appearances last season before being dropped by manager Dean Smith in favour of Jed Steer.

Smith is expected to be in the market for a new number one this summer, with Stoke’s Jack Butland a reported target.

Villa have shown a real interest in Rongier in recent months following an impressive individual campaign in France.

The 24-year-old is seen as a perfect fit in Smith’s system after scoring four times and providing five assists in 36 Ligue 1 games.

And with current Nantes boss Vahid Halilhodzic aware of Kalinic’s qualities, an ambitious player-plus-cash deal could well pay off this summer.