When Frederic Guilbert was playing some of the best football of his career on loan at Strasbourg, helping an unfancied Alsace side push for Europe, the £5 million Aston Villa misfit might have been forgiven for assuming that offers would soon be rolling in.
As you might have realised, things hasn’t quite worked out that way.
As pointed out by L’Equipe, Guilbert – with less than one week remaining before the transfer window closes – is training with Aston Villa’s reserves. He’s not part of Steven Gerrard’s plans.
And, with the likes of Lyon, Nice and Troyes looking elsewhere, there is a very real chance that Guilbert might not play again – at least, not at first-team level – before the turn of the year at the earliest.
That is unless a man who not seen in claret-and-blue for over two years gets a helping hand from an unlikely source. Namely, Aston Villa’s Premier League rivals Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace can help Frederic Guilbert escape Aston Villa
L’Equipe say that Rennes is one of the few potential destinations still remaining as far as Guilbert is concerned. The chances of him swapping Britain for Brittany, however, could rest on what happens with Hamari Traore between now and September 1.
And this is where Crystal Palace come in.
According to Foot Mercato, Patrick Vieira’s high-flying Eagles – fresh from ripping Aston Villa to ribbons at Selhurst Park last week – have turned to Traore in their bid to bring in a new right-back.
Traore turns 31 in January. But age, as they say, is just a number. There were few better right-backs in Ligue 1 last season than the Rennes’ captain; a fact emphasised by suggestions that he’s also caught the eye of Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona. Not to mention Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
But if Traore ends up at Crystal Palace instead, could this be the stroke of luck Frederic Guilbert needs as he looks to break free of his Villa Park shackles?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
