Frederic Guilbert joined Racing Strasbourg on a season-long loan for the second consecutive campaign after being deemed surplus to requirements under Dean Smith. The 26-year-old hasn’t managed to dethrone Matty Cash at right-back, so he’s opted to return to France for more first-team opportunities.
And although Guilbert will be expected back at Villa when the 2021/22 season comes to a close, Gabriel Agbonlahor believes he’s played his last game for the Midlands club. The club legend told Football Insider that Guilbert has no long-term future at Villa Park.
He said: “I think Aston Villa will have tried to get rid of him on a permanent, he didn’t really play much. You’ve got Axel Tuanzebe there as cover for Matty Cash and Ashley Young as well.
“I’m sure they were trying to get rid of him on a permanent but maybe his wages and the fee that Villa want put clubs off. There have not been clubs knocking at the door. I don’t see him playing again for Aston Villa. I see his future definitely being away from the club.”
Guilbert joined Villa on a four-year deal from SM Caen in 2019 and has gone on to make 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals with three assists.
The uncapped Frenchman has been loaned out to Caen (February 2019 – June 2019) and Strasbourg (January 2021 – June 2021) (August 2021 – present), so it’s clear Smith doesn’t see him in his plans.
Cash is first-choice at right-back while Ashley Young is his backup, so Villa might try to cash in on Guilbert when his loan deal is up. Sadly, fans have never got to see the best of the 26-year-old.
In other news, Matty Cash posts on social media after celebrating one-year anniversary
