Aston Villa could be set to spend £10 million on a goalkeeper who has never made a senior appearance.
Villa are just three points away from securing a Champions League spot and if they are successful they suddenly become a much more attractive proposition for any transfer targets.
Whilst on the pitch they still have two games to play, against Liverpool on Monday and then Crystal Palace on the final day, off the pitch attention is starting to turn to what will be a busy summer at Villa Park.
Whilst the Champions League could mean one or two marquee signings join Unai Emery‘s ranks this summer, it is the signing of a lesser known goalkeeper that could signal their ambition if reports are to be believed.
Aston Villa linked with move for Douglas Lukjanciks
Villa currently have one of the best goalkeepers in world football in World Cup winner Emi Martinez.
Recently, with Martinez injured, second-choice Robin Olsen has shown that he is a very capable deputy.
Now, though, it seems Villa are looking to safeguard the position for years to come with a move for England under-17 international Douglas Lukjanciks.
The stopper is in the youth set-up at Everton and is due to finish school this summer, meaning he will be looking to sign professional terms.
However, that may not be at the Merseyside club, with a number of clubs reportedly sniffing around the youngster according to The Sun.
Premier League champions Manchester City are believed to be in pole position to steal Lukjanciks from under Everton’s noses, but Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have both been mentioned as potential suitors.
Due to his dual nationality which is owed to his Latvian heritage, Lukjanciks could also make a move to Europe and recently-crowned Bundelisga champions Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Marseille, are also said to hold interest in the 16-year-old.
Spending £10 million on Lukjanciks would be risky
With two England under-17 caps according to Transfermarkt, Lukjanciks is clearly a player with enormous potential, but at £10 million this would represent a big fee for a player so early on in his development.
Goalkeepers naturally become first-team players later than their outfield peers so it could be a number of years before Villa see any return on their investment should they spend eight figures on Lukjanciks.
If the goalkeeper does reach his potential then this could save the club a lot of money long-term, however there are a number of factors which influence whether they will ever reap the rewards of the purchase.
With Champions League football very likely, it would be argued that Villa would be better off spending the money to improve their squad depth for a second consecutive season of European football.
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