Tommy Elphick spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall from Championship rivals Aston Villa but does he have a future under Steve Bruce?
Do Aston Villa really need to sign a replacement for John Terry when they already have Tommy Elphick on the payroll?
Villa were forced to bid farewell to their 37-year-old captain, who left on a free after Steve Bruce’s side lost the play-off final to Fulham. And, with a financial mess engulfing the Midland giants, signing a replacement is easier said than done.
Elphick spent the second half of last season on loan at Reading, but the report claims that Paul Clement’s hopes of signing him permanently have been dashed as Terry’s exit looks to have handed the former Bournemouth skipper a fresh start.
And, as the Birmingham Mail add, Elphick is a popular figure behind the scenes at Aston Villa with manager Bruce a big admirer. The 30-year-old, who led Bournemouth to the Premier League in 2015, is a natural-born leader and potentially a solid replacement for Terry both on and off the pitch.
Elphick’s performances for Villa, however, have left a lot to be desired since he moved to the Midlands for £3 million two summers ago.
So, for all his personality, he will need to really step up if he is to finally make his Villa career a success.
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