Could Aston Villa be about to give Tommy Elphick a second chance?

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Tommy Elphick is understood to be well liked by Championship giants Aston Villa but he finds himself out on loan at Reading.

Does Tommy Elphick have a future at Aston Villa?

Well, that might just depend on which division Steve Bruce’s side are playing in next season. After all, Villa could lose both John Terry and Chris Samba when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

And, if promotion to the Premier League slips through their grasp, Financial Fair Play restrictions would make it very difficult for Villa to sign a replacement.

So Elphick, who moved on loan to Reading in January after falling down the pecking order at Villa Park, may just be handed a fresh start and a chance at last to prove himself under Bruce.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the 30-year-old defender is well-liked at Villa and is due to return from Reading, where he has played just twice due to a hamstring injury, at the end of this season.

The former Bournemouth captain, who cost £3 million in the summer of 2016, is a proven Championship defender who skippered the Cherries to promotion three seasons ago.

But he has never quite found his best form in a Villa shirt and made just four Championship appearances for Bruce this season, with Terry and James Chester firmly established as the first-choice pairing.

If Terry leaves, however, there could be a space free in Villa’s defence and a chance for Elphick to finally show Bruce what he is made of. But with the Birmingham Mail stating that he wants regular first-team football, do not be surprised if he leaves in the summer if Villa bring in one or two new defensive additions.