The Guardian has recently reported that Aston Villa are close to sealing a move for AS Roma keeper Robin Olsen who is currently playing on loan at Sheffield United. It is understood that the Villans are close to making the Swedish custodian their third signing of this January transfer window.
Olsen’s Recent Loan Spell At Bramall Lane
Olsen has served as a decent keeper for the Blades in the early months of this campaign. The Malmo-born goalie has featured in 11 matches for Sheffield United this season, conceding 17 goals and earning one clean sheet in the EFL Championship.
The 32-year-old has done well to average 0.6 clearances and 4.4 long balls per game in the English Championship. However, he needs to improve his accuracy when distributing the ball from the back after making 66.7% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
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Is Olsen A Good Signing For Aston Villa Boss Steven Gerrard?
Olsen has got a wealth of experience under his belt and can be a solid handler of the ball when he is playing well on the pitch. He has got decent reflexes that help him make a few important saves at the back. The 53-time Sweden international usually prefers to go long with his goal-kicks which is why he can sometimes give away the ball cheaply during a game.
Still, there is no denying that Olsen is more than capable of filling in as a suitable back-up for Emiliano Martinez if the Villans can successfully get him on board before the end of this winter transfer window.
At 32, Olsen is not getting any younger but has still got a few good years left in him, so he won’t have any trouble playing second-fiddle to Martinez at Villa Park in the remainder of this campaign. He could help the West Midlands outfit maintain their push to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League later this year. With all things considered, Olsen could prove to be a good, short-term signing for the Villans as he will enhance the overall depth of Steven Gerrard‘s match-day squad.
