Bertrand Traore looked destined to leave Aston Villa this summer due to injuries and a lack of playing time under Steven Gerrard, but Ekrem Konur says the 26-year-old may still have a future at Villa Park if he impresses in pre-season.
Traore spend the second half of the campaign sidelined with injury, barely came off the bench when he was fit, so Gerrard hasn’t seen a lot of the Burkina Faso international. Villa’s 42-year-old manager wants to run the rule over him ahead of next season, so there’s a chance he could stay.
Traore joined the Claret and Blues on a four-year deal from Olympique Lyonnais in 2020, setting the club back £16.5m. The 26-year-old has gone on to make 48 appearances, scoring eight goals with seven assists, but things spiralled after his debut season.
Traore has made only 10 appearances this campaign, amassing just 277 minutes of football, failing to score or make an assist. Gerrard reportedly wanted to move him on in January, but there hasn’t been suitors until now. Konur says four clubs are interested, so Villa might be able to get their money back.
But if Traore shows quality in pre-season, he could be a valuable asset. The 26-year-old has two years remaining at Villa, so Gerrard can afford to wait a year before making a decision on his future.
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