According to Norwegian press, Aston Villa had scout representation at the recent second-leg of the Europa League third qualifying round game last Thursday, between Odd and Dynamo Zagreb at the Skagerak Arena.
Left-back Cover
The main Villa interest seemed to be in Odd left-back Thomas Grøgaard.
The 23-year-old left-back helped the Norwegian team to a 0-0 draw, although they went out 2-1 on aggregate to the Croatian team.
After the game, while acknowledging the interest of Villa, Grøgaard suggested in a TV interview, he hadn’t been approached directly at that stage.
“The media talk about it,” he said. “I do not really think so much about it.”
Keeper Prospect
The reports also point to Villa keeping tabs on Odd’s keeper, Sondre Rossbach.
The 21-year-old, is a promising talent, with already over 80 games in the Norwegian top tier to his name. After becoming Odd’s first choice keeper when he was only 19-years-old.
The Norwegian U-21 keeper is also tipped to follow in his father, Einar Rossbach’s footsteps, and become the full international team’s keeper.
When he was younger, Rossbach was reported to have been offered a youth contract with Manchester United before an injury put pay to it, but the setback doesn’t seem to have held his progress back.
While it’s hard to see signing a younger keeper as a pressing concern, the club does have to look beyond a season loan of Sam Johnstone, in terms of establishing a long-term number one.
With Villa in need of reinforcements on the left-hand side, certainly, the interest in Grøgaard is the most immediate news worth keeping tabs on its development.
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Don’t get it, Amavi so say on his way and already we are talking a new left back, Kodjia out for weeks and no talk of a desperately needed striker, we’re now playing Samba as a striker, just which planet is Bruce on totally clueless for me, doesn’t he realise we are in the same position as last season no goals no wins. My opinion Hogan a waste of space, Agbonlahor conning Bruce into offering him another contract and Bruce buying it, and although Green may be one for the future he’s no where near it yet decision making and final ball awful and not good enough for a team looking for promotion. Fans can see it sticking out like a sore thumb, manager thinks dropping two points at home is positive, unless something changes rapidly and I have my doubts I believe promotion prospects are a long way off. Been a Villa supporter for over 50 years and never seen a shambles like this.
I can’t recall us ever signing a bad Scandinavian player, so lets go for it,
I would have thought Villa needed to find someone who can consistently put the ball in the back of the net