Hull City’s relegation could cost them more than their Premier League status with Ahmed Elmohamady on Aston Villa’s radar.
It is fair to say Steve Bruce is a fan of Ahmed Elmohamady.
Brought to Sunderland by the affable Geordie after making quite the impression in a 2010 trial, Bruce wasted no time in taking the Egyptian international with him to Humberside when he was appointed at Hull City soon after.
And, according to The Sun, Elmohamady and his faithful gaffer could be reunited for a third time with Aston Villa, Bruce’s current employers aiming to take advantage of Hull’s relegation from the Premier League.
An energetic right-back with superb crossing ability, the 29-year-old was a regular fixture in Hull’s back four under both Mike Phelan and Marco Silva in 2016/17. And he is one of a number of players to emerge from an ultimately disappointing campaign at the KCom with his reputation arguably enhanced.
However, while the likes of Harry Maguire, Oumar Niasse and Andrew Robertson will surely earn a Premier League lifeline with plenty of reported suitors sniffing around, Elmohamady could thrive in the division below.
Reunited and it feels so good
After all, Bruce knows and trusts the 74-time international whose accuracy from wide areas could make Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan one of the league’s most feared strike forces next season.
What this means for James Bree, however, remains to be seen. The young right-back, plucked from Barnsley in January, has struggled to make an impression in his first few months at Villa Park.
The 19-year-old was expected to take the place of the experienced Alan Hutton in Bruce’s starting XI but a number of unstable performances, most notably in Villa’s 3-1 thumping at Fulham in April, meant he was only trusted to start six Championship games.
And the arrival of Elmohamady will only raise further concerns about his game-time.
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