Blackpool face competition from League One rivals Sunderland for Aston Villa goalkeeper - reports

Blackpool face competition from League One rivals Sunderland for Aston Villa goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, according to reports.
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The Sun claim the Seasiders are interested in the 22-year-old, whose contract at Villa Park expires in the summer.

Sarkic enjoyed a successful loan spell with Scottish side Livingston earlier in the campaign, keeping six clean sheets in 18 games.

Matija SarkicMatija Sarkic
Matija Sarkic
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However, his stint north of the border was cut short after the Montenegro international was recalled to Aston Villa to provide cover for the injured Tom Heaton.

Villa would end up signing former Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina instead and Sarkic has been unable to force himself into the first-team picture.

He’s previously spent loan spells with Wigan Athletic, Stratford Town and Havant & Waterlooville.

Sarkic is yet to make his senior debut for Villa, despite featuring heavily for the club’s Under-23 side, playing in 56 games.

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The 6ft 4ins keeper confirmed to Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti that he thinks he will leaving Villa Park, adding there is interest in his services both in England and abroad.

Sarkic, who was born in Grimsby, made his debut for Montenegro in November 2019 in a 2-0 friendly win over Belarus.

The goalkeeper’s father is a Montenegrin diplomat who is the country’s ambassador to the European Union, having previously served as the ambassador to the UK.

Sarkic also has a twin brother, Oliver, who played alongside him during his time coming through the youth ranks at Belgian side Anderlecht.

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Oliver, who signed for Leeds United in 2018, now plays for League One outfit Burton Albion as a forward.

He’s scored five goals this season, one of them coming in a 4-1 defeat against Fleetwood Town in October.

Blackpool already have a number of goalkeepers on their books, although Mark Howard and Christoffer Mafoumbi are likely to leave when their contracts expire this summer.

Jak Alnwick, currently on loan from Rangers, has been linked with making a permanent switch to Bloomfield Road after being told he will be released by the Scottish giants.

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Chris Maxwell, meanwhile, is on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Sarkic isn't the first player to be linked with a move to Blackpool.

The Seasiders are also supposedly keeping tabs on Liverpool left-back Adam Lewis, who played under Neil Critchley during his time as the club's Under-23 coach.