According to reports, Aston Villa are one of the three clubs interested in signing free agent David McGoldrick. The Birmingham side are said to be fighting for his signature with Bristol City and WBA but should they really go for him?
McGoldrick began his career at Notts County, before moving to Southampton at the age of 16. He then returned on loan. The striker subsequently spent time at Bournemouth, where he netted 6 times in 12 games, before spending 2007/08 on loan at Port Vale, netting twice in 17 games in League One.
His breakthrough year with Southampton came the following season, where he bagged 12 goals in 46 appearances. However, the Saints were relegated, but McGoldrick earned himself a move to Nottingham Forest.
His time at the City Ground wasn’t prolific. In his first season, he managed a meagre 3 goals in 33 matches and 5 in 21 games in his second campaign.
After a brief loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday, the nomadic striker went to Coventry, where he excelled. 16 goals in 22 games made him a fan favourite and that secured him a move to Ipswich. He spent 5 years with the Tractor Boys, managing 45 goals in 161 appearances in all competitions. McGoldrick was then released this summer.
In 2014, McGoldrick discovered that he was eligible to play for Ireland after researching his family tree and finding that he had a biological grandmother born in Ireland. He made his debut for them in their 4-1 win against the USA, providing two assists. He’s gone on to play 6 times for Ireland, failing to find the net so far.
McGoldrick is a fast, powerful striker, who is also quite skilled. He’s solid with the ball at his feet and has an eye for a pass, which helps him in providing assists. The 30-year old is quite tall, which makes him dangerous in set-pieces and aerial challenges. However, his goalscoring record is average, to say the least, and one would expect a forward to be more prolific.
His main problem in recent years has been the injuries that have plagued him. He has played over 30 games in a season just three times in his career. In 2015/16, he missed four months of action because of injuries. He hasn’t played since February because of a groin issue.
The Villans have players such as Jonathan Kodjia, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Keinan Davis and Scott Hogan vying for a place in Steve Bruce’s starting XI. Ross McCormack is still on Aston Villa’s books but he might leave.
Read More: Why Aston Villa boss Bruce should reunite with this promising 20-year-old youngster this summer
The 7-time English champions have financial issues, so getting in a free agent would be welcome. David McGoldrick is not a bad striker. He’s an Irish international and has loads of experience in the Championship.
However, his injury problems are a concern and he hasn’t scored as much as many would’ve hoped he would. He can be a squad rotation player for Villa but not their main striker. There are better options out there and he should be signed only as a last resort.
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