Jonathan Kodjia has been at Aston Villa since 2016.
Smith has said that the 29-year-old forward wants to play centrally, but Chelsea-owned striker Tammy Abraham has made the number nine role his role with his performances and goals.
Smith told The Birmingham Mail about Kodjia: “When I first came he’d only just come back from international duty so he trained one morning with me. Tammy scored in that first game and he’s been making the number nine position his own.
“I know both Scotty and Kodj would like to play in that position as well. I like to have players in wide areas who can score and I believe Kodj can do that.
“You could see from his celebration after his goal against Birmingham how happy he was, and he’s getting better in that position.”
Competition
Kodjia will be disappointed not to be playing in his preferred number nine position, but it is hard to see the 29-year-old forward dislodging Abraham.
The striker, signed on loan from Chelsea in the summer transfer window, scored a hat-trick in Villa’s 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest at Villa Park in the Championship on Wednesday evening.
Stats
Kodjia joined Villa from Bristol City in the summer of 2016 for an initial transfer fee reported by BBC Sport to be worth £11 million and when Roberto Di Matteo was in charge of the Villans.
According to WhoScored, the 29-year-old Ivory Coast international has made 15 starts and four substitute appearances in the Championship for Villa so far this season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in the process.
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