Croatia keeper Kalinic to join Aston Villa

Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic will join Aston Villa from Gent on January 1, the Championship club have confirmed.

Kalinic has signed a contract that runs until 2023 and will move to Villa Park for a reported fee of £7m when the transfer window opens.

A member of the Croatia squad that finished runners-up at this year’s World Cup, he duly started three of his country’s four Nations League fixtures in 2018 following the international retirement of Danijel Subasic.

Villa are unbeaten in seven matches and sit eighth in the Championship, but only five teams in the division have conceded more goals this term.

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Dean Smith, who succeeded Steve Bruce as Villa’s manager in October, told the club’s official website: “We are delighted to be signing someone of Lovre’s experience and quality.

“He is an outstanding goalkeeper and we are looking forward to welcoming him when he joins at the beginning of January.”