Aston Villa Close To Sealing A Loan Move For This Veteran Keeper: Good Option For Gerrard? | OneFootball

In a recent tweet, talkSPORT‘s Alex Crook stated that Aston Villa are close to sealing a loan move for West Ham United keeper Darren Randolph. It is understood that the Villans are inching closer to clinching a loan deal for the Hammers custodian during this January transfer window.

Randolph’s Lack Of Game Time At The London Stadium

Randolph is yet to make an appearance for West Ham this season, mainly due to the excellent form of Łukasz Fabiański. The Bray-born talent was a regular feature on David Moyes’ bench last season and did well to make seven appearances for the East London outfit, conceding eight goals while securing three clean sheets in multiple competitions.

The former Birmingham City sensation caught the eye by averaging 1.3 clearances and 5.0 long balls per game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign. He often went long when distributing the ball from the back which explains why he only completed 50.8% of his attempted passes in the English first division last season (stats via whoscored).

West Ham United’s Irish goalkeeper Darren Randolph warms up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and West Ham United at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on September 25, 2021. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

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Is Randolph A Good Option For West Ham?

Randolph has got a wealth of experience under his belt and can serve as a safe pair of hands in between the sticks when called into action. He has decent reflexes that allow him to make a few solid saves at the back. The Republic of Ireland international doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball to clear the danger when needed. However, at 34, father time is slowly but surely catching up with his game.

At the moment, Emiliano Martinez remains Steven Gerrard‘s number one keeper. Still, Randolph could serve as an ideal deputy to the Argentine goalie if the Villans end up getting a loan deal over the line for him this month.

The West Ham outcast is good enough to act as decent cover for Martinez at Villa Park in the second half of this campaign which makes him a good option for Aston Villa. He could even help the West Midlands outfit clinch a top-half finish in the Premier League later this year. Thus, Gerrard should prioritize on signing Randolph on loan during this winter transfer period.