Lovre Kalinić completed a switch to Aston Villa from Genk at the start of this year and an injury meant he made only seven starts in the Championship last season.
Villa were promoted to the Premier League and signed Tom Heaton from Burnley before the start of this campaign. He is the first-choice keeper, with Jed Steer and Ørjan Nyland behind Heaton as the second and third choice custodians.
This has seen the Croatia international being completely left out and he’s made only one start for the U23 side in Premier League 2. Despite the lack of opportunities at his club, the 29-year-old was picked by the national team squad for the last international break.
Marjan Mrmić is Croatia’s goalkeeping coach and has now urged Kalinić to leave the Premier League side in search of regular minutes to improve his chances of making it to the European championship.
“They definitely miss it [playing regularly]. After the injury, Kalinic did not play. He did well in training, but [playing in] the match carries its own weight,” Mrmić told Sportske Novosti.
“It is up to Kalinic to find a club within a month and to get minutes. It could probably be a loan. I talked to him, told him not to defend too long, recommended that he go further, he needs that because of his status in the national team. He is on track to realise this.”
A move away from Villa in January, either on loan or a permanent transfer may result in Kalinić taking a pay cut.
On this issue, Mrmić said: “I am not going into the financial part, he may have to give up a little on this issue, though it is up to him to decide.”
Villa already have four goalkeepers in the squad and they could allow Kalinić to leave in January.
