On loan goalkeeper Scott Carson has termed Liverpool’s 10 million pound valuation of him “stupid”. The Whitehaven born goalkeeper was sent to Villa Park on loan, and started in 35 games for Midlands club last season. No permanent deal has been agreed upon, but Villa retain the first option on the player they paid around £2m in loan fees for. If Villa do agree to shell out 10 million pounds for 22 year old keeper, Carson will become the most expensive keeper in British transfer history. Sunderland currently hold the record, having paid £9m for Hearts of Midlothian’s Gordon Brown in August 2007. In fact, Aston Villa were keen contenders for Brown’s signature, and it was due to their failure to bring him to Villa Park that they made the loan move for Carson.
Carson, who moved to Liverpool in 2005 from Leeds for an estimated fee of £1m, has gone to three clubs on loan since arriving at Anfield – Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Aston Villa. He was one of Charlton’s better players in the 2006-07 season, when the Addicks were relegated to the Championship. He has also been capped at the senior level for England, and constant match practice is a must if he is to keep his nose above Chris Kirkland and Robert Green.
Liverpool are also chasing Villa skipper Gareth Barry, and their valuation of him is also somewhere near the 10 million mark. Could Carson be used as bait for bringing Barry to Anfield ? Only time will tell.