Lost in Randy Lerner turmoil, Karl Darlow could now return to Aston Villa

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Aston Villa are in the hunt for a new goalkeeper in January, according to several reports. Summer signing Orjan Nyland has struggled to impress since his arrival at Villa Park and Dean Smith appears to feel another option is necessary.

One name that has recently been linked with the role is that of Karl Darlow. The Newcastle United stopper is out of favour at St James’ Park and, according to The Sun, Aston Villa are hopeful of completing a £4 million deal to sign the stopper in the winter.

Of course, this would actually be something of a homecoming for the player.

Darlow was with the Aston Villa academy for eight years. The 28-year-old was released as a 16-year-old back in 2006.

“I left Villa in 2006 and I was very surprised when Karl was then let go – for me, he had huge potential.

“Straight away I rang Steve Sutton, the goalie coach at Forest, and recommended he take a look at Karl.”

– Eric Steele, former Aston Villa goalkeeper coach, on Karl Darlow’s release

Aston Villa, at the time, were going through a transitional period. David O’Leary had been sacked and Martin O’Neill took over as Randy Lerner took over at the club. In between, Darlow left. It might not be a surprise that the two Irish keepers, Stephen Henderson, now at Nottingham Forest, and David Bevan, were instead kept on considering the two managers in question.

It was a decision that baffled Eric Steele, the man credited with the success of David De Gea at Manchester United. He also left Villa that summer and was left ‘surprised’ by the decision to let Darlow leave.

Now, nearly 13 years later, Aston Villa might finally make Darlow their number one.