Villa step up goalkeeper hunt

Aston Villa haven’t enjoyed the best of spells in the Premier League recently. Struggling to adapt under the guidance of new boss Gerard Houllier, Villa have slipped to 16th in the league table and now possess a pretty unexpected goal difference of -10. Whilst there have been a number of problems affecting Villa and leading to their dramatic decline since the start of the season, weaknesses in defence and between the sticks haven’t helped matters.

It would seem that, rather than sit back and wait for things to improve at the club and risk the side slipping down into the dreaded relegation zone (an event that would prove intriguing for those following their progress on odds comparison sites), Houllier has taken matters into his own hands by instigating a search for a new goalkeeper. With the club keen to get a new goalkeeper established in the side sooner rather than later so that they’re not left in a sticky spot if current number one Brad Friedel decides to seek a new challenge elsewhere when the current campaign draws to a close, the January transfer window could be an interesting one for Villa fans.

With the 39-year-old linked to a move to the MLS several times already this season, and the prospect of a role as a player-coach at Columbus Crew thought to be high on the player’s agenda at the moment, speculation over his future is likely only to become more intense if Villa don’t have a quality replacement lined up for the start of the next campaign.

Bookies seem to think that Bolton Wanderers’ Ali Al Habsi, highly rated among Premier League managers, could be one option for Villa, who have managed to attract some high-profile names between the sticks throughout their famous history.