Ashley Preece of Birmingham Live says Lovre Kalinic is expected to report for pre-season training next week, but the 32-year-old’s future at Aston Villa is up in the air after spending the last 18 months out on loan.
Kalinic joined Villa on a four-year deal from KAA Gent in 2019 and has gone on to make just eight appearances in all competitions, conceding 15 goals with one clean sheet.
The Croatian international played a handful of games in his debut season (2018/19) before being benched and then sidelined with a knee injury, so his Villa career was over not long after it began.
Kalinic was loaned out to Toulouse one year after joining Villa and made just four appearances across the board, conceding four goals with two clean sheets.
Upon his return to Villa, the 32-year-old struggled for playing time as Emiliano Martinez was first-choice between the sticks. Kalinic would be loaned out again midway through the 2020/21 season, making 57 appearances and conceding 50 goals with 27 clean sheets.
Martinez will be first-choice under Steven Gerrard while the recently-signed Robin Olsen is expected to be second-choice, so Kalinic doesn’t stand a chance of playing for Villa again. Jed Steer is still on the books too, so there’s too much competition for minutes.
