Spanish playmaker Carles Gil will not be handed a second chance at Aston Villa – though a return to La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna also appears unlikely.
Carles Gil struggled with the pace of the English game
Ask a number of Aston Villa fans whether Carles Gil deserves a second chance in English football and you’re likely to receive quite a divided response.
For all those who felt the diminutive Spaniard lacked the stature or the defensive discipline to succeed on British shores, there are some who believe those infrequent flashes of star quality mean patience could be a virtue.
According to the Birmingham Mail, Gil’s immediate future remains up in the air. The playmaker insists he has no intention of returning to the Midlands but that choice may be taken out of his hands.
Deportivo La Coruna, where GIl has spent the entire 2016/17 season, may be priced out of a deal to turn his loan move permanent. Depite the Galician giants securing their Liga status, finishing five points above the bottom three, they are in a delicate financial situation and are unlikely to pay over the odds for the 24-year-old.
Over the Gil?
And rightly so. Gil may have offered glimpses of stunning potential during his 18 months at Villa Park, that stunning acrobatic volley against Sunderland eclipsed only by a long-range worldie on his debut against Bournemouth in the FA Cup.
However, such moments of magic have been few and far between at Deportivo. Gil only started 16 Liga fixtures, netting just one goal and providing four assits.
For the most part, his performances can be best described as anonymous. Therefore, this so-called ‘luxury player’ may not have done enough to earn a second season at Depor – especially as they are hardly awash with disposable funds.
And there’s no reason to suggest he could thrive in the unforgiving Championship either. What happens next, then, is anyone’s guess.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
